Swamp doesn't want to move to Kansas City
Union Blasts USDA Relocation Announcement as Clear Attempt to Undermine Scientific Research
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement that it plans to relocate employees at two of its research agencies from Washington, D.C., to Kansas City is a clear attempt to undermine their scientific work, the American Federation of Government Employees said today.
Employees at both agencies – the Economic Research Service (ERS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) – voted overwhelmingly to join AFGE within the past month in response to the proposed relocation.
“Employees at ERS and NIFA spoke loudly and clearly by coming together to organize a union and demanding a seat at the table when decisions are made that affect their work – including transferring their jobs outside Washington,” AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said.
“The USDA has provided no rational justification to employees, to Congress, or to its stakeholders for this move, which will make it harder for the agencies to coordinate with other science and research agencies. We will continue to work with Congress and other parties to fight this wrongheaded proposal, which is little more than a backdoor way to slash the workforce and silence the parts of the agencies’ research that the administration views as inconvenient,” Cox said.
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue made the public announcement this morning, just after notifying employees of the move by letter. At a congressional hearing last week, lawmakers heard from three agency stakeholders – a farmer as well as an administrator and professor from two land-grant universities – all of whom were opposed to relocating the agencies outside D.C.
“The researchers and other stakeholders we work with don’t want us to move – they want us to stay right here in Washington, where we can easily coordinate with the other federal science agencies,” said AFGE Local 3403 President Dave Verardo, whose local represents the ERS and NIFA employees.
https://www.afge.org/publication/union-blasts-usda-relocation-announcement-as-clear-attempt-to-undermine-scientific-research/