Open Letter of Support for Ernest DuBester

An ad hoc committee of federal employees from various unions and agencies are circulating the Open Letter below to build pressure to ensure Ernest DuBester's confirmation to the Federal Labor Relations Authority before the end of 2022. Here, ACEcouncil.org hosts the letter while we begin collecting signatures. Please complete this form to add your name and to pledge your support for a functional board at the FLRA.

Dear Senator Schumer,

As federal public servants and supporters, we are urging you to ensure President Biden’s nominee to the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), Mr. Ernest DuBester, is confirmed by the end of this year.

We believe Mr. DuBester is an exceptionally well‐qualified candidate. He has served as an FLRA member since 2009 including two terms as Chair and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding federal labor law and the Statute to the position. He has a well‐earned reputation for fairness and respect for the law, as reflected in his nominations to the FLRA by four Presidents from both political parties and confirmations in the Senate six times with bipartisan support.

Despite Mr. Dubester’s impeccable qualifications and reputation, partisan members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have leveled baseless accusations against him in a calculated attempt to delay his confirmation. It has now been more than a year since President Biden nominated Mr. DuBester to the FLRA and he has yet to be confirmed. If no action is taken by the end of the year, Mr. DuBester’s FLRA appointment will expire resulting in a split FLRA, unable to function effectively for the foreseeable future. As you know, federal public servants depend on a fully functioning and fair FLRA to ensure the stability of labor‐management relations, to protect our ability to form and join unions, to bargain with agencies on working conditions, to resolve unfair labor practice complaints, and to know that our rights as workers will be protected so we can focus on serving the public.

In President Biden’s letter to the federal workforce in March of this year, he wrote, “Together, we can lead by example and show our country a way forward”. We agree. As federal public servants, we will continue to serve the public day in and day out; we are calling on you to do your part by filing a discharge petition to bring Mr. DuBester’s nomination out of committee and to the Senate floor for a confirmation vote. Mr. Dubester’s confirmation will help to ensure a fully functioning and fair FLRA and thereby set an example for the rest of the country as to what fair and effective labor‐management relationships can look like.

Signed,
Federal Public Servants & Supporters

Complete this form to add your name as a signer. As the end of the year approaches, if DuBester remains unconfirmed, we will deliver this letter to Sen. Schumer and seek any necessary support to confirm Mr. DuBester.