BEYOND PARODY: Senator Joni Ernst Says Federal Workers Showed up at the Office to PROTEST Having to Come to the Office (VIDEO)

[Valletta]

BEYOND PARODY: Senator Joni Ernst Says Federal Workers Showed up at the Office to PROTEST Having to Come to the Office (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Senator Joni Ernst's recent remarks on federal employees protesting their return to the office raise significant questions about workplace expectations and public sentiment. This controversial stance warrants a closer examination of government efficiency and employee rights.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

Liberals.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

The person who came up with this terrible program should be impeached.

 

[wing2000]

BEYOND PARODY: Senator Joni Ernst Says Federal Workers Showed up at the Office to PROTEST Having to Come to the Office (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Senator Joni Ernst's recent remarks on federal employees protesting their return to the office raise significant questions about workplace expectations and public sentiment. This controversial stance warrants a closer examination of government efficiency and employee rights.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

Liberals.

...are you suggesting Conservatives have to be in the office to work?

 

[Fantine]

I think it's funny that a president who spends lots of time at his country club, so much so that he had to "miss" honoring dead soldiers whose bodies were being returned because he was hosting a million dollar a plate fundraising dinner--no, not for a worthy charity like disabled veterans---for Republicans, forces remote workers to go back to work.

These workers don't travel to work in a luxury private plane. In cities, they may stand on crowded subways an hour each way. I did in the 1970's. The worst part of my day. On Fridays I'd walk to Radio City and take the express bus home, sitting in air conditioned comfort, despite the traffic.
If they were doing their jobs more productively (as studies showed most were) then where was the problem?
When I worked in an office lots of time was spent on meetings and interruptions.

 

[Vambram]

All across the USA, several million office workers actually go to their place of employment to work. Unless there are special, specific extenuating circumstances, office employees of the Federal government should also really work in their offices AT their place of employment instead of working at home.

 

[iluvatar5150]

All across the USA, several million office workers actually go to their place of employment to work. Unless there are special, specific extenuating circumstances, office employees of the Federal government should also really work in their offices AT their place of employment instead of working at home.

As someone who kind of likes going into the office and who socializes with their co-workers outside of work, I ask: why?

I've worked in-office and I've worked fully at home; and for easily 90% of the work I do, there's no need to be around other people. And for that additional 10%, there are a host of tools available to facilitate that. The same is true for most of my co-workers, and, I imagine, for a lot of government, too. What about their work necessitates or is enhanced by doing it in the same room as a bunch of other people?

I can see how something like onboarding new employees can be easier in office, but doing it remote isn't impossible - it just requires some deliberate thought and rework of documentation and procedures. Heck, if anything, that exercise would probably make the entire onboarding process better, regardless of where it happens. I would say the same is probably true of most things where in-office has an advantage: converting it to remote just requires some rethinking and deliberate codification of processes rather than merely allowing them to happen.

IMO, mass RTO orders are largely a sign of poor management who 1.) don't understand how to lead people, 2.) don't understand how to measure the output of their workers, 3.) don't understand how to get them what they need and facilitate their work, and 4.) refuse to be honest about trying to back-door layoffs on the cheap.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

I tried to find reliable data on the number of federal employees working from home versus in the office, but there isn't any. Most sources are biased towards political parties, making the numbers unreliable or fabricated.

I took a different approach and asked myself: Is the federal government less efficient today than before the pandemic? Are trains on time, or planes flying safely? Are American streets less safe, or are citizens complaining about longer wait times for federal services compared to pre-pandemic? So far, I see no change. During the 2020 lockdown, many issues arose, but since it ended, the federal government functions as it did before.

My question to those who want federal employees to return to work, regardless of their number, is: Can you specify which areas the federal government is operating inefficiently today compared to pre-pandemic? If the performance level of these employees and the day-to-day duties of each department are the same as before the pandemic, then why do these employees need to return? If federal government work is being completed just as effectively today as it was pre-pandemic, why does it matter if employees work from home or the office?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

As someone who kind of likes going into the office and who socializes with their co-workers outside of work, I ask: why?

I've worked in-office and I've worked fully at home; and for easily 90% of the work I do, there's no need to be around other people. And for that additional 10%, there are a host of tools available to facilitate that. The same is true for most of my co-workers, and, I imagine, for a lot of government, too. What about their work necessitates or is enhanced by doing it in the same room as a bunch of other people?

I can see how something like onboarding new employees can be easier in office, but doing it remote isn't impossible - it just requires some deliberate thought and rework of documentation and procedures. Heck, if anything, that exercise would probably make the entire onboarding process better, regardless of where it happens. I would say the same is probably true of most things where in-office has an advantage: converting it to remote just requires some rethinking and deliberate codification of processes rather than merely allowing them to happen.

IMO, mass RTO orders are largely a sign of poor management who 1.) don't understand how to lead people, 2.) don't understand how to measure the output of their workers, 3.) don't understand how to get them what they need and facilitate their work, and 4.) refuse to be honest about trying to back-door layoffs on the cheap.

I used to have a nice office job with Nestle (Gerber baby food) in Fremont Michigan, lived right around the corner and would walk to work most days. I too could do most of my work from home and brought that up with a split schedule, 4 hours at office, 4 at home. Gerber Life Insurance had started doing that before they were sold off. Nestle liked the input and made it so. They sent me home and the job to the Philippines.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I tried to find reliable data on the number of federal employees working from home versus in the office, but there isn't any. Most sources are biased towards political parties, making the numbers unreliable or fabricated.

I took a different approach and asked myself: Is the federal government less efficient today than before the pandemic? Are trains on time, or planes flying safely? Are American streets less safe, or are citizens complaining about longer wait times for federal services compared to pre-pandemic? So far, I see no change. During the 2020 lockdown, many issues arose, but since it ended, the federal government functions as it did before.

My question to those who want federal employees to return to work, regardless of their number, is: Can you specify which areas the federal government is operating inefficiently today compared to pre-pandemic? If the performance level of these employees and the day-to-day duties of each department are the same as before the pandemic, then why do these employees need to return? If federal government work is being completed just as effectively today as it was pre-pandemic, why does it matter if employees work from home or the office?

With respect to the messaging coming from the administration on this subject, they're talking out of both sides of their mouth. On one hand, they've gone on about divesting themselves of unused office space. OTOH, they've issues RTO orders to staff who, in some cases, never even had a desk to sit at because their agencies have been largely remote for years. It's obvious that the real motivation is doing a back door layoff by being as jerky and miserable as possible until people quit on their own. So much for having a president with a "backbone".

Beyond that, remote work offers the promise of a lot of things that should appeal to conservatives:

1. It requires less fuel usage, which reduces direct costs, lowers oil prices, and increases energy independence.
2. It offers greater flexibility to caregivers, so folks can feel more comfortable starting a family.
3. It has the potential to economically revitalize rural areas - no longer do folks have to move to the big city to get jobs with big city compensation.
4. It has the potential to ease housing costs in urban areas - no longer do folks have to cram in to dense areas to be closer to work.
5. It has the potential to lower salary costs because employers wouldn't have to pay such high geographic adjustments for folks living in HCOL areas.

But no... Conservatives' raison d'etre is their underlying authoritarianism, which requires workers be under the thumb of their employers - and all of their other values are subservient to that. You can see that in the approach to remote work. You can see that in OP's threads on workplaces - both this one and in the one on furniture expenditures. God forbid government workers have nice offices that are on par with private sector offices. No, they must be dingey and miserable.

 

[FAITH-IN-HIM]

With respect to the messaging coming from the administration on this subject, they're talking out of both sides of their mouth. On one hand, they've gone on about divesting themselves of unused office space. OTOH, they've issues RTO orders to staff who, in some cases, never even had a desk to sit at because their agencies have been largely remote for years. It's obvious that the real motivation is doing a back door layoff by being as jerky and miserable as possible until people quit on their own. So much for having a president with a "backbone".

Beyond that, remote work offers the promise of a lot of things that should appeal to conservatives:

1. It requires less fuel usage, which reduces direct costs, lowers oil prices, and increases energy independence.
2. It offers greater flexibility to caregivers, so folks can feel more comfortable starting a family.
3. It has the potential to economically revitalize rural areas - no longer do folks have to move to the big city to get jobs with big city compensation.
4. It has the potential to ease housing costs in urban areas - no longer do folks have to cram in to dense areas to be closer to work.
5. It has the potential to lower salary costs because employers wouldn't have to pay such high geographic adjustments for folks living in HCOL areas.

But no... Conservatives' raison d'etre is their underlying authoritarianism, which requires workers be under the thumb of their employers - and all of their other values are subservient to that. You can see that in the approach to remote work. You can see that in OP's threads on workplaces - both this one and in the one on furniture expenditures. God forbid government workers have nice offices that are on par with private sector offices. No, they must be dingey and miserable.

There is also a ideological view. For the past 50 years, conservatives have believed that government is bad. Although I admire Ronald Reagan, his quote "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help" is wrong. Unfortunately, this has shaped conservative policy for the last 50 years. Conservatives think the federal government is bad, its employees are lazy, and they aim to minimize its size. Many conservative truly believe any spending on federal government is bad for America.

 

[Vambram]

There is also a ideological view. For the past 50 years, conservatives have believed that government is bad. Although I admire Ronald Reagan, his quote "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help" is wrong. Unfortunately, this has shaped conservative policy for the last 50 years. Conservatives think the federal government is bad, its employees are lazy, and they aim to minimize its size. Many conservative truly believe any spending on federal government is bad for America.

Instead of believing that Conservatives think that the federal government is bad, I prefer to understand that conservatives realize that the federal government is far too wasteful with its spending and grossly inefficient. Hence, that is one of the major reasons we have over $36 Trillion dollars of National Debt. Oh, and I agree with the sentiment meant by that quote from my favorite president in my lifetime, President Ronald Reagan.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

BEYOND PARODY: Senator Joni Ernst Says Federal Workers Showed up at the Office to PROTEST Having to Come to the Office (VIDEO) | The Gateway Pundit | by Mike LaChance

Senator Joni Ernst's recent remarks on federal employees protesting their return to the office raise significant questions about workplace expectations and public sentiment. This controversial stance warrants a closer examination of government efficiency and employee rights.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

Liberals.

The irony.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

I think it's funny that a president who spends lots of time at his country club, so much so that he had to "miss" honoring dead soldiers whose bodies were being returned because he was hosting a million dollar a plate fundraising dinner--no, not for a worthy charity like disabled veterans---

I don't see how this is relevant to the topic.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Instead of believing that Conservatives think that the federal government is bad, I prefer to understand that conservatives realize that the federal government is far too wasteful with its spending and grossly inefficient. Hence, that is one of the major reasons we have over $36 Trillion dollars of National Debt. Oh, and I agree with the sentiment meant by that quote from my favorite president in my lifetime, President Ronald Reagan.

Then why is this administration doing a bunch of stuff to make it more wasteful and less efficient? RTO doesn't make the government spend less money, unless you're just trying to get rid of people. Laying off a bunch of newly-promoted employees with significant institutional knowledge doesn't make it more efficient. Making it a generally miserable place to work doesn't make it more efficient. Purging a bunch of diversity messaging that already existed isn't cheap or efficient. Do you guys actually care about efficiency or do you just not have any idea of what you're doing?

 

[Oompa Loompa]

With respect to the messaging coming from the administration on this subject, they're talking out of both sides of their mouth. On one hand, they've gone on about divesting themselves of unused office space. OTOH, they've issues RTO orders to staff who, in some cases, never even had a desk to sit at because their agencies have been largely remote for years. It's obvious that the real motivation is doing a back door layoff by being as jerky and miserable as possible until people quit on their own. So much for having a president with a "backbone".

Beyond that, remote work offers the promise of a lot of things that should appeal to conservatives:

1. It requires less fuel usage, which reduces direct costs, lowers oil prices, and increases energy independence.
2. It offers greater flexibility to caregivers, so folks can feel more comfortable starting a family.
3. It has the potential to economically revitalize rural areas - no longer do folks have to move to the big city to get jobs with big city compensation.
4. It has the potential to ease housing costs in urban areas - no longer do folks have to cram in to dense areas to be closer to work.
5. It has the potential to lower salary costs because employers wouldn't have to pay such high geographic adjustments for folks living in HCOL areas.

But no... Conservatives' raison d'etre is their underlying authoritarianism, which requires workers be under the thumb of their employers - and all of their other values are subservient to that. You can see that in the approach to remote work. You can see that in OP's threads on workplaces - both this one and in the one on furniture expenditures. God forbid government workers have nice offices that are on par with private sector offices. No, they must be dingey and miserable.

I see an excellent opportunity for DOGE to further cut the federal workforce. Heaven forbid federal employees must be forced to work in dingy offices when they could be working in the comfort of their homes in a private sector job.

 

[Vambram]

Then why is this administration doing a bunch of stuff to make it more wasteful and less efficient? RTO doesn't make the government spend less money, unless you're just trying to get rid of people. Laying off a bunch of newly-promoted employees with significant institutional knowledge doesn't make it more efficient. Making it a generally miserable place to work doesn't make it more efficient. Purging a bunch of diversity messaging that already existed isn't cheap or efficient. Do you guys actually care about efficiency or do you just not have any idea of what you're doing?

RTO does make government more efficient. Laying off excess workers does save taxpayers dollars.

 

[Oompa Loompa]

There is also a ideological view. For the past 50 years, conservatives have believed that government is bad. Although I admire Ronald Reagan, his quote "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government, and I'm here to help" is wrong. Unfortunately, this has shaped conservative policy for the last 50 years. Conservatives think the federal government is bad, its employees are lazy, and they aim to minimize its size. Many conservative truly believe any spending on federal government is bad for America.

We don't think government is all bad. It is the big, bloated, over reaching bureaucracy that needs to go. The government is good when it is not controlled by unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats.

 

[iluvatar5150]

RTO does make government more efficient.

How?

Laying off excess workers does save taxpayers dollars.

Maybe. Or maybe it cuts services that wind up costing us more money.

 

[Vambram]

Maybe. Or maybe it cuts services that wind up costing us more money.

Looks like we shall have to wait and see.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

RTO does make government more efficient. Laying off excess workers does save taxpayers dollars.

Funny, I could have swear that government workers are taxpayers too. Learned something today.