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SAN FRANCISCO, CA

President's Report

November 2013

PRESIDENT: JERRY HALL, 229 De Montfort Ave, SF, CA 94112; 412-0488, fritz1313@hotmail.com  GREETINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL CHAPTER MEMBERS WITH BIRTHDAYS AND/OR ANNIVERSARIES IN NOVEMBER… Due to the government shutdown, the San Francisco Chapter was unable to hold its monthly meeting (normally in the 90 7th Street Federal Building). I hope you are as tired as I am in regards to the bickering and grandstanding that undermines government on all levels. I am not sure how disregard for the working families of America, contributes to the betterment of U.S. society. I guess if Congress gets paid, that is all they care about. The two million plus federal workers whether working or not did not get paid until someone said “uncle.”

Besides the above, I spent most of the 2.5 weeks during the “shutdown” thinking about how little respect there is for federal service. I keep thinking that federal workers and retirees have “accepted” this disrespect for their service. Then I concluded that we simply have to be more vocal and speak out until the politicians get tired of the message that public service is valuable and needs to be appreciated by our country.

I have friends in other countries and they talk about graft and corruption in their countries. I tell them there is little in the U. S. because we pay government workers appropriate wages and provide them with benefits that helps to prevent the graft and corruption they see in their countries. Then I wonder how long that will be the case in the U. S. if we marginalize and disrespect our government workers. There seems to be a lack of big picture thinking on the political level. I am not sure what the “end goal” is for some of these folks in Washington. Even thoughtful CEOs understand that they need a middle class to buy the products they sell. Making the middle class and the poor poorer will not help business.

On a more positive note, active federal employees can sign up for a free six months NARFE membership. They simply go to the NARFE.org website and click on the banner “Enough is Enough”….then click on join NARFE for six months free…all it requires is basic information, name, address, and an email. Being an aggressive recruiter, I suggest that you contact any active federal employees you know and tell them you are signing them up for a free membership in NARFE. Tell them you are doing it and there is no obligation to continue. Hopefully they will see the light and continue their membership. This membership is an electronic membership only but they will receive the monthly magazine as well. They will be advised via email about their membership benefits.

I like the “Enough is Enough” slogan on the NARFE website. You can tell congress enough is enough by going to the NARFE.org website and clicking on legislation. A simple click or two with your identifying information will send your message to congress. Try it you might like it.

The last 4 years without any federal worker raises has taken a toll on the morale of federal workers and forced their families to be “less middle class.” You can go to the website and see the article about what it may take for the small 1% increase in wages to occur. I am sure their medical and other costs have risen more than 1% over the past 4 years.

You can also get information on the NARFE website about the proposed pay raise and on the committee assigned to address this year’s budget. Additionally the legislation section has a letter you can send in regards to the proposed chained CPI if you like. (Chained CPI is a quick way to take tens of thousands of dollars from every federal retiree, every social security beneficiary, and every federal employee.)

If you do not have internet access you can always call (202) 224-3121 to contact your representatives. For those who like to write their congressperson, use the following example: To a Senator: The Honorable (full name), Senate Office Building, United States Senate, Washington, DC 20510; To a Representative: The Honorable (full name) House Office Building, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.

     Jerry Hall
    fritz1313@hotmail.com

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