WHEREAS:
Public sector workers in merit-based civil service systems are highly qualified, politically unbiased government employees who act as “honest brokers” to match eligible applicants with programs and to deliver benefits and services efficiently and effectively; and
WHEREAS:
Private-sector companies are aggressively pursuing business opportunities created through pre-pandemic executive action and temporary pandemic relief legislation, and are seeking contracts to administer human services programs of state and local governments; and
WHEREAS:
These privatization schemes seek to expand the waiver of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) merit staffing requirements and to reestablish Unemployment Insurance (UI) program merit staffing waivers authorized by the CARES Act and subsequent legislation; and
WHEREAS:
Authorizing private companies to perform UI work during the COVID-19 pandemic has had disastrous results, producing widespread contractor abuse that, in some states, may have continued beyond its legally required expiration on Sept. 6, 2021; and
WHEREAS:
Private administration of UI undermined merit staff tasked with correcting contractors’ shoddy work and claimants who suffered significant benefit payment delays, exposed the UI program to large-scale fraud committed by criminal syndicates and demonized individual claimants who received overpayments through no fault of their own; and
WHEREAS:
Private companies are currently pursuing federal legislation and waivers to allow states to contract with private companies to perform SNAP functions, including eligibility determination, application assistance, recording or accepting client information, conducting interviews and handling client complaints regarding case eligibility and benefits; and
WHEREAS:
Private companies can be subject to political manipulation to deter human services program applicants from receiving benefits and services, risking the public sector’s longstanding commitment to serving disadvantaged and low-income workers.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
AFSCME will continue to oppose the weakening of merit staffing requirements applicable to the administration of federally funded programs; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME will continue to support using unbiased, merit-based government staff in human and employment services to avert patronage in hiring and ensure the timely delivery of benefits and services to eligible program beneficiaries; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME will continue to expose the failures of privatization and oppose any efforts to outsource the administration of federally funded programs to which merit system staffing requirements apply; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
AFSCME will continue to fight to maintain human services in the public sector, remain watchful of job growth and contraction in the field, and, where private companies have taken over human services jobs, to organize those workers to win higher wages, robust benefits, improved working conditions and job protections.
SUBMITTED BY:
Patrick Moran, President
Cherrish Vick, Secretary-Treasurer
AFSCME Council 3
Maryland