Spiral 1.3 Announcement Upcoming

The Pentagon intends to soon announce the next groups of employees to be phased into the national security personnel system, the so-called spiral 1.3 group that is to come under the program starting in the spring. So far about 77,000 DoD employees are under the system, all of them in positions not eligible for union membership. The reason is litigation brought by a group of unions that has resulted in a court injunction against carrying out the union rights, disciplinary and appeals rights provisions of NSPS. Although the suit does not affect other aspects of the program, such as the pay banding and pay for performance elements, DoD recently said it “has elected to implement NSPS to non-bargaining unit employees until the litigation is resolved.” An appeals court is to hear arguments December 11, and a decision could come early in 2007, with a possible Supreme Court appeal to follow.