8/26/09: With the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), federal employees lost not only a stalwart champion of their rights, but a man whose vision of public service inspired so many to make their own commitment to serve our country, NTEU National President Colleen Kelley said today.

Senator Kennedy and NTEU worked together on many issues over the course of his long and distinguished Senate career,” said Kelley. “He never wavered in his belief that the work of this country was vital and he innately understood that frontline federal employees are the key to our nation’s success.”

That shared belief, President Kelley said, led to a long and successful partnership between Kennedy and NTEU. “Senator Kennedy took on so many tough fights in the service of federal workers,” Kelley said. “He battled to ensure sufficient agency resources, fought against runaway federal contracting—including the use of private debt collectors by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)—worked to protect collective bargaining rights, and sought to bring new work to facilities where employees were at risk of losing their jobs.”

Senator Kennedy addressed members of NTEU at the union’s annual legislative conference less than one year after the devastating bombing of the MurrahFederalBuilding in Oklahoma City in which 168 people lost their lives. He spoke about his commitment to public service.

“I come from a family that has always believed in government service. Like my brothers, I've always believed that it is far more than a job and it's an honor and privilege to serve the nation," Kennedy said at the spring 1996 event. "All of the great causes we have fought for, whether it was winning the war against Nazi fascism, communist tyranny, advancing civil rights and workers' rights, feeding the nation's hungry, helping the elderly in their time of need, federal employees who have served our country with great skills and dedication in both war and peace have made an important difference."

President Kelley said that Senator Kennedy always backed up those words with action. In particular, she noted the senator’s help in securing additional resources for the Food and Drug Administration to help it meet its critical mission of protecting the nation’s food supply; his participation in efforts to retain IRS positions at its Andover Campus—and to bring new work to that facility; and his work a few years ago to help retain in federal service highly-skilled IRS estate and gift tax attorneys who were likely to leave the government in the face of a planned reduction in their numbers by the agency.

Kennedy also, she noted, worked to secure what ultimately became an enhanced retirement benefit for U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers. 

“Senator Kennedy had the vision to see what this country could accomplish and the understanding that it required federal employees to achieve it. He was a friend to federal employees and NTEU and we will always remember his support. This country has today lost a part of its soul,” President Kelley said.