To Whom it may concern:

I am an apprentice in my fourth year at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.  I am very concerned about the NSPS reorganization and the elimination of my rights by rewriting the rules of many civil service workers.  I personally had an experience where, without the help of the union, I would have missed out on donated leave due to me and on my pay statement.  When I communicated with the payroll office I was told the donated hours would be returned to the donor.  I had already taken 250+ hours of LWOP due to a medical crisis in my family.  The total donations didn't even begin to cover my hardship, but finally the total donations covered 144 hours!  This has been crucial for me to maintain my household.  There is no way I would have been able to have my voice heard to the admin if the union did not go to bat for me.  The service that the union does for the worker is imperative for administration to worker communications, especially in such a large organization....this is only a small example of the impact the unions have to facilitate fairness to the thousands of workers.  I never thought I would need their assistance.  I was raised with the notion that right and fairness will always prevail.  How naive.  Please don't take us back to the days of workers having no voice and no avenue for justice.  I feel there will be an exodus of much needed talent from the civil service if working conditions degrade......Just my opinion.

From A Steadfast American

Sincerely,
Lisa Rabara
EMEM Apprentice
PHNSY & IMF, Hawaii