Union Leader's Fighting Words

John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, was over at our offices today for a luncheon session with reporters and editors. And, as usual, he was pulling no punches. Some examples:

• On his recent visits to Customs and Border Protection offices: "I have never seen morale at a federal agency so bad."
• On the Pentagon's National Security Personnel System: "A disaster for the civil service."
• On Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England's claim that the department had colloborated with unions to arrange a delay in NSPS: "I'll tell ya, I almost puked."
• On whistleblower protection: "To blow a whistle in the federal government, you've got to be out of your mind."
• On the merit principles that are supposed to govern federal hiring and performance evaluation: "You couldn't litigate anything off them. They're wishy-washy and all over the place."