[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 119 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE JOHN N. STURDIVANT NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP AWARD 
                                WINNERS

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                        HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 1998

  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to all the winners of the 
1998 John N. Sturdivant National Partnership Award. It is appropriate 
that this award has been renamed for John N. Sturdivant, the late 
national President of the American Federation of Government Employees, 
and a leader in forging labor-management relationships between his 
union and the Federal government.
  I am proud to say that one of the recipients of the Sturdivant Award, 
the Social Security Administration (SSA), is located in Baltimore, MD. 
SSA and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) have 
forged labor-management partnerships that have created an environment 
where unfair labor practices are becoming the exception rather than the 
rule.
  The Social Security Administration is being recognized for promoting 
and nurturing labor-management relationships. As a result, SSA has seen 
a decline in unfair labor practice complaints filed by the union; 
saving the government in litigation costs and hundreds of hours of lost 
productivity. This is the same agency that has been criticized for 
abusing the use of ``official time.'' However, the very use of official 
time by SSA employees enabled them to work with SSA management to 
produce innovative proposals that improve customer service.
  The Democrats have fought many attempts by a Republican-led Congress 
to do away with official time. As Ranking Member of the Civil Service 
Subcommittee, I recently waged war against a Republican proposal to 
undermine the use of official because it was nothing more than a back 
door attempt to destroy federal employee unions.
  SSA has responded to its critics by showing that when labor and 
management work together, not only do the employees benefit, but so do 
the American taxpayers.

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