Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Major Victory With 600+ DFAS Jobs In Rome Protected From Automation In New Commitment Thanks To Legislation They Authored – Thwarting Threat From[...]

Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Major Victory With 600+ DFAS Jobs In Rome Protected From Automation In New Commitment Thanks To Legislation They Authored - Thwarting Threat From Bots That Don't Do The Job As Well As Local Mohawk Valley Workers

Aug 1, 2024

Following Schumer & Gillibrand's 10+ Years Of Advocacy To Prevent Layoffs At Rome's DFAS - DFAS Releases Landmark Report Announcing Dozens of Workforce Development Programs for DFAS Rome That Will Help Save Hundreds From Job Displacement

DFAS Rome Employees Will Soon Have Access To Training And Upskilling Resources They Need To Transition To New Essential And Good-Paying Roles Within DFAS

Senators: A Win-Win-Win For DFAS, AFGE Union Workers & The Entire Mohawk Valley Economy!

After more than a decade of tireless advocacy in support of local employees at Rome's Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS), U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced a major victory that will help protect hundreds of DFAS employees in Rome from job displacement caused by automation and "rapid deployment" of bots. Thanks to language secured by the senators in the FY2023 and FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union received a commitment from DFAS management that no DFAS employees in Rome will lose their jobs because of automation and that, as automation and the threat of job displacement accelerate, management will adopt 19 workforce training recommendations made by the AFGE president to retrain and upskill employees for new roles.

"DFAS in Rome is not only vital to the Department of Defense but also to the City of Rome's and Mohawk Valley's economies. When I first heard of the possibility that automation was threatening Rome DFAS jobs, I immediately jumped to defend those jobs. The hard-working employees at DFAS should not have to fear for their jobs because of automation," said Senator Schumer. "Today, I am proud to report that our efforts to protect DFAS jobs have paid off. DFAS's new comprehensive workforce development plan is a major step in the right direction that will equip Rome's employees with the essential skills required to successfully transition into new roles at DFAS."

"DFAS workers play a vital role in the local Rome economy and are crucial to the Department of Defense's financial management," said Senator Gillibrand. "After years of fighting to keep DFAS workers in Rome, I'm proud to announce that over 600 DFAS jobs will stay in Rome where they belong. Now, hundreds of skilled workers at DFAS will be saved from job displacement and will receive critical retraining and reskilling needed to transition into new roles at DFAS. I am proud to have fought to keep these jobs in Rome and will continue to fight against the threat of job displacement."

"Thanks to Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand's string of wins in recent years, the AFGE and DFAS Council have cooperated to address the pressing need to retrain and reskill the entry level technicians most susceptible to automation and to increase transparency between labor and management around bot implementation. The recently released DFAS report, which was required by the senators' FY'24 NDAA insert, makes commitments that will protect the workforce at DFAS Rome for years to come, ensuring that no DFAS Rome employees will be displaced by automation or bot implementation" said DFAS / AFGE President Ed Abounader. "On behalf the AFGE, DFAS workforce, City of Rome, and entire Mohawk Valley, I would like to extend our collective appreciation to Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand for years of advocacy in Washington to safeguard over 600 jobs threatened by automation, particularly by DFAS rapid deployment of over 71 bots over the last 16 months. With the framework for increased transparency, retraining, and reskilling in place, DFAS and its Rome workforce can now move forward together to provide the exceptional service that DoD deserves."

Per AFGE representatives, the workforce training recommendations are expected to protect over 600 jobs - ranging from finance and contracting to human resources and data entry - by offering education and reskilling initiatives that employees can participate in, including Career Certificates, Retraining Boot Camps, Micro Burst Training, Rotational Reassignments, and more. Specifically, Career Certificates will assist DFAS employees transitioning into new positions by offering short-term educational courses. Retraining Boot Camps will offer intensive orientation and training to prepare DFAS employees for alternate work, Micro Burst Training will offer short-term cross training and reskilling for current DFAS employees in-house, and Rotational Reassignments will give management the flexibility to move DFAS employees to alternate positions they are already qualified for. According to the senators, these key programs will not only lead the charge in upskilling and retraining hundreds of DFAS workers in Rome but also for the thousands of DFAS employees across the country.

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. said, "We are grateful for Senator Schumer's effort to protect jobs at DFAS Rome by securing this critical victory for our local economy. It is possible to embrace the future and optimize workforces though artificial intelligence while minimizing displacement by placing a priority on real people who can be retrained and upskilled. This commitment ensures that as we navigate the challenges of automation, we continue to value and support the dedicated employees that are the backbone of our community."

Rome Mayor Jeffrey Lanigan stated today, "We are grateful to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand for their steadfast leadership in safeguarding the livelihoods of our DFAS employees in Rome. Their work in securing crucial provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act ensures that our workforce can continue to thrive, even as automation changes the employment landscape. The commitment to reskilling and upskilling opportunities demonstrates a true investment in our community's future, preserving essential jobs and supporting our workers through these transitions."

According to the senators, DFAS launched its automation initiative to optimize its civilian workforce. However, after local AFGE officials decried the initiative as "potentially devastating" for the DFAS workforce, particularly entry-level jobs like accounting technicians and data-entry personnel, Schumer and Gillibrand sprung to action. In the FY2023 NDAA, the Senators secured language directing DFAS to provide a 5-year workforce development plan focused on skills development to prepare for future technology needs, identifying workers being partially or fully displaced by automation, creating reskilling opportunities for displaced workers, and more.

Although the 2023 language was a step in the right direction, the senators quickly realized it did not effectively address the risks posed by automation to unaware employees or sufficiently identify upskilling and retraining programs in a timely fashion, particularly for the entry-level jobs most at risk. In response, the senators pushed for and secured new language in the FY2024 Senate NDAA directing DFAS to develop and release a report outlining their workforce development strategy to supplement their 5-year plan. The strategy details dozens of additional current and future programs and opportunities tailored to meet the specific upskilling, reskilling, and training needs of DFAS employees and establishes a process for regularly sharing information on the availability of these programs. Most importantly, DFAS will ensure that employees are involved in the process by conducting periodic workforce surveys for direct feedback on impact of the training programs and how they can be improved.

Building on previous years' progress, this year Schumer secured language in the FY2025 Senate NDAA directing the Department of Defense (DoD) to identify ways to retain their workforce. The language highlights the need to recognize the clear advantages provided by an experienced workforce with institutional knowledge, a deep understanding of DoD's needs, and the new skills needed to succeed in today's rapidly-evolving business environment. Specifically, the language Schumer secured will direct DoD's Acquisition Innovation Research Center (AIRC) to complete a comprehensive, department-wide study on upskilling and reskilling programs for employees with roles at risk of displacement due to automation, to identify where DFAS can maximize engagement in the workforce sectors expected to benefit the most.

Schumer and Gillibrand have a long history of fighting to preserve jobs at Rome's DFAS. In 2020, the senators secured language in the FY2021 NDAA increasing Congressional oversight over DFAS personnel changes and adding additional protection for DFAS employees by requiring DoD to justify that proposed changes would yield significant cost savings before transitioning any functions that would result in the reduction or transfer of DFAS employees. In 2018, Schumer and Gillibrand went to bat for DFAS in the Senate, successfully ensuring that the Senate NDAA did not contain the 25% cut to agencies that employ civilian workers the House version did. In doing so, the Senators saved approximately 200 DFAS jobs. In 2017, after years of advocacy, the senators announced that a US Army pilot program jeopardizing over 1000 DFAS Rome jobs had concluded and there would be no changes or layoffs. Those advocacy efforts included FY2015 NDAA language requiring the Army Secretary to certify benefit prior to transferring functions away from DFAS, a personal call from Schumer to Army Secretary John McHugh, and a joint letter with Senator Gillibrand to Secretary McHugh.

The Defense Finance and Accounting Service was created in 1991 to standardize and improve accounting and financial operations for DoD. They provide payroll services for DoD military and civilian personnel, retirees and other major contractors and vendors. DFAS operates as a separate and unique entity in DoD, to ensure transparency and accountability on behalf of DoD financing and accounting. Schumer and Gillibrand are praising the effort to advance DFAS's current workforce so they can either stay in their current jobs or be trained in new skills to move to different roles.

