U.S.: Privatization of Federal Workforce

With the exception of the airport security workers (who were federalized as a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks), there has been a trend with the U.S. government towards contracting out workers to private companies.

Last week the Bush regime announced plans to open as many as 850,000 federal government jobs to private sector competition. The administration suggests that increasing competition is good for the U.S. public because taxpayers will get the best deal for their money. Increased competition will drive down the cost of work and make government more efficient.

It is presummed, as an unquestionable fact, that private, for-profit companies are more efficient at managing and operating services. It is often ignored that they do not have the same interest as the public -- they are interested in their
"bottom line." Increased competition means that workers will get paid less, fewer benefits and worsened working conditions. This is all part of Bush's attack on U.S. labor which includes the repeal of OSHA ergonomics regulations, keeping the unions out of the new transporation security administration and anti-union rules for the new homeland security department.

Related articles:

• Economic Snapshots: Shrinking public service (The Economic Policy Institute, December 11, 2002)
• Bush to privatize 850,000 jobs: 'All-out war on federal workers' (Workers World, November 28, 2002)
• White House union-busters (Socialist Worker, November 22, 2002)
• Homeland Security leaders win broad power over civil service rules (GovExec.com, November 21, 2002)
• White House Considers Privatizing Federal Jobs [audio] (NPR, November 18, 2002)
• In U.S., Government Privatization Is Going Forward (CommonDreams.org, November 16, 2002)
• AFGE Statement on OMB Release of Draft Public-Private Competition Process (The American Federation of Government Employees, November 14, 2002)
• Bush opens 850,000 Fed jobs to competition (UPI, October 30, 2002)