Twenty-one federal unions formed a new coalition to lobby on behalf of federal employees.

That lobbying likely will target civil service reforms that are anticipated, but not yet proposed, by the Obama administration. The new coalition, called the Federal Workers Alliance (FWA), also intends to play a role in the Obama administration's plan to establish labor-management partnerships throughout the government.

Many members of the alliance had previously linked up under a different umbrella — the United DoD Workers Coalition — to oppose and ultimately help dismantle the Defense Department's National Security Personnel System (NSPS).

NFFE Legislative Director Randy Erwin said the alliance is going to watch what civil service reforms the Obama administration proposes to make sure they don't resemble those that were embodied in Defense's NSPS.

"If a governmentwide reform that looked just like NSPS came down the pike, we will oppose it," Erwin said.

"I am confident that the labor organizations of the FWA will work together to ensure the strongest possible voice for federal workers with the Obama administration and Congress," said William Dougan, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees and interim chairman of the FWA until it selects a permanent leader. "This is particularly important when you consider that several key policies impacting the future of federal employees will be moving through the legislative and regulatory process in the coming years."

The American Federation of Government Employees and National Treasury Employees Union currently are not part of the FWA, but alliance representatives are talking to AFGE, the largest federal union, in hopes of bringing that union aboard, Erwin said. AFGE was part of the Defense coalition.

NTEU, the second largest union, does not represent Defense employees and was not part of the Defense coalition. Erwin said "there is a good chance" the coalition will eventually reach out and ask NTEU to join, but has not done so yet.

NTEU President Colleen Kelley said her union "is always open to working in cooperation with other labor unions or associations on issues that impact federal employees."

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, National Association of Government Employees, Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, and International Association of Fire Fighters are among the FWA's members.

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