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Washington, D.C.—The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) opposes a plan to cut and relocate inspection field staff at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at a time when protecting the spectrum and the communications systems it supports from interference is a vital and growing concern.

“We have major problems with the course that the FCC is taking.

With new technology and policy decisions which expand the use of the spectrum, there is an increased need for field office operations support,” said NTEU National President Colleen M. Kelley. “These employees perform important work and their presence in the field is necessary.”

FCC’s enforcement work is an important part of the agency’s mission. Effective enforcement gives spectrum users the confidence to develop new technology and improve the quality of the services they provide. It also leads to higher investment and greater competition among communications service providers, which would benefit consumers and the economy.

Kelley noted that the FCC did not consult with or brief the union before plans to cut as many as 30 front-line inspectional engineers and compliance specialists and close 16 field offices nationwide came to light.

“We believe FCC is obligated to seek such front-end cooperation under a recent presidential executive order directing agency managers to seek pre-decisional input from employee unions before taking major steps,” the NTEU leader said.

NTEU has voiced its opposition to the plan to agency leadership, members of Congress and the FCC commissioners, who will vote on the plan.

The union also took issue with remarks made at a House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing last week, by Chairman Tom Wheeler who said FCC supervisors are justified in seeking to close offices and reduce personnel because there is not enough work to go around.

Ana Curtis, president of NTEU Chapter 209, said FCC managers have been quick to fill supervisory positions but slow to do the same when rank-and-file employees leave or retire.

“Cutting front-line employees when the FCC’s sphere of policy influence is expanding is unwise. To do so in the name of boosting efficiency and productivity is disingenuous. Employees have sound ideas on how to work smarter without compromising important enforcement work. We once again urge FCC management to work with us, not against us,” Curtis said.

NTEU, the nation’s largest independent federal union, represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.