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WASHINGTON –The frontline federal workforce, made up of hundreds of thousands of middle-class civil servants from all 50 states, is battling low morale, heavier workloads and concern about agency missions, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

Overall, the findings illustrate the challenges NTEU faces to make sure federal employees have the resources, independence and respect to do their work on behalf of the American people.

The online survey, conducted by NTEU, was answered by 877 federal employees who hold leadership positions in their local NTEU chapters.

• Almost two-thirds (65.2%) report agency funding is insufficient to meet the mission.

• More than half (54.6%) say vacancies are going unfilled and workloads are increasing.

• About 81 percent (80.8%) say morale at their agency is declining or poor.

• About 78 percent (78.5%) say their fellow employees are worried about their job security.

• More than three-fourths (78.6%) say they wish Congress and the public understood that federal employees are middle-class workers facing the same economic challenges as other Americans.

The survey results were announced by NTEU National President Tony Reardon on the opening day of the union’s 2017 Legislative Conference in Washington D.C.

“Clearly our members --and federal workers everywhere -- recognize that proposals to dramatically shrink the federal government will hurt their families as well as all citizens who rely on their agencies to protect the environment, secure the border, inspect new medicines, punish financial swindlers, and maintain our national parks, just to name a few of their duties,” Reardon said.

In addition to multiple choice questions, employees were allowed to offer additional insights into what messages NTEU should take to Capitol Hill this week. Here are some examples:

“Retiring employees are not being replaced with new workers. Brain drain of experienced IRS employees equals loss of valuable skills.” -- employee in Everett, Wash.

“If ever there was a time when unions were needed in the federal sector to preserve the public interest and protect the public trust, it is now!” –employee in Maine.

“Despite all the negative rhetoric and terrible impact from poor funding, most federal workers keep doing their jobs at a high level and believe in what they are doing.” -- employee in Portland, Ore.

“We are not the swamp.” -- employee from Wisconsin.

“We are not the enemy. We are the protectors. Give us the resources to do our job. Stop hanging all these cuts over our heads.” –employee in Boston.

NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.