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Washington, D.C.—The results of the midterm elections present federal employees with “both opportunities and challenges,” particularly on the key matter of educating newly-elected legislators about the substantial contributions to the nation of the federal workforce, the leader of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) said today.

“The work of NTEU on behalf of federal employees continues, no matter who holds a particular office,” NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said today in the wake of Tuesday’s election results, “and the next two years will be no different.”

NTEU’s intention, President Kelley said, “is to reach out and work with all new members of Congress” on issues of importance to federal workers. She noted that even after the midterm election, the congressional landscape “remains virtually evenly split.” As a result, she added, “there continues to be a pressing need for bipartisan action in order for Congress to move forward on its legislative responsibilities.”

The union’s immediate priority, Kelley said, is to focus on possible actions to be taken by Congress in its lame-duck session later this month, including its work on appropriations bills, the federal civilian pay raise, contracting out of federal jobs, and the personnel flexibilities issue in the homeland security debate.

Kelley emphasized that despite the administration’s proposal for a 2.6 percent civilian pay raise in 2003, there has been “strong bipartisan support” for a 4.1 percent pay raise, matching that provided for members of the military. At the same time, she said, there is a provision in both House and Senate Treasury-Postal Appropriations bills that would prevent the use of the administration’s quota-driven plan to drive federal contracting efforts.

And on the matter of homeland security and retention of civil service and collective bargaining rights for employees who would be transferred to a new Department of Homeland Security, Kelley said NTEU will continue its efforts in support of protecting the rights of federal employees whom Americans count on each day to protect them and their families.

As the largest independent federal union, NTEU represents some 150,000 employees in 27 agencies and departments.