From a piece for Federal News Network by Ralph de Juliis, President of the union that represents most Social Security employees:
... As representatives of 26,000 employees in field offices, workload support units, and teleservice centers, we are ready for a new day of leadership at the Social Security Administration. The appointment of the next Social Security Administration Commissioner will not only set the tone for the next four years of workplace management at SSA, but have lasting implications for the millions of Americans who rely on the services we provide.
First, the next commissioner must fundamentally respect the dignity of work: that all labor has value, and all SSA employees are worthy of respect from their peers in management. ...
Finally, the next commissioner must commit to open and honest dialogue with the union to ensure that our concerns are heard and respected. ...
At SSA under Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black, the rot runs deep. It’s time we finally see the commitment to agency-employee relations that has been sorely missed.
In theory Saul could try to hang on but the recent Supreme Court decision in Seila Law would make that problematic, especially if the new Attorney General or Solicitor General announces that it is the new Administration's position that Seila Law applies to the Social Security Commissioner position. Anybody want to dust off the old writ of quo warranto? If Saul does try to hang on, I expect the union and the new Administration will use him as a piñata.
David Black, by the way, is no problem. The Social Security Act provides that the Deputy Commissioner becomes the Acting Commissioner but that the President can order that someone else become Acting Commissioner. I would certainly expect that Biden would so order.
The Commissioner is not particularly interested in running the agency. He has been absent from HQ for nearly the duration, and has had certain senior advisors and his Chief of Staff running the show.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that Saul and most of the folks up there will retire or be forced out, so I don't think we will be testing any Seila Law case law just yet.
The real challenge for the next Commissioner will be undoing the Soviet system of management that the last four years have instilled in SSA's senior management. Nobody dared disagree with the powers that be lest one be sent to the gulag. Even at the DC level, people dared not speak up as deeply harmful actions were taken at the whims of the erstwhile 9th floor.
Godspeed, Carolyn. You are going to need it!
What we need is status quo anti all that EO damage and a wholesale house cleaning at Baltimore and Falls Church.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Saul is tending his art collection.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that he just appointed a liberal woman who supports the BLM movement the new Philly RC indicates to me that he intends to resign in 2021.
ReplyDeleteWhat's going to happen to the Hearing Monitors ... OHO
ReplyDeleteThe Union is, by far and away, the biggest problem with the entire SSA.
ReplyDelete@ 11:24 AM
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts Commissioner Saul. Enjoy your retirement!