President’s Views

BY TOM YAZDGERDI

As my time as AFSA president draws to a close, I want to use my final column to thank you all for being members and supporting AFSA in this trying time of upheaval. It has been humbling to witness the outpouring of support that has helped AFSA confront this existential challenge to the Foreign Service.

When my good friend, former AFSA President Eric Rubin, asked me in January 2019 to run on his ticket as State vice president, I gladly accepted, though I wasn’t sure what I could really accomplish. A term as president and two terms as State VP have given me a deep appreciation of AFSA’s ability to make life better for our members and, by so doing, to strengthen the Foreign Service as an institution.

Some have argued that there is an inherent contradiction with AFSA being both a labor union and professional association. I have never seen it that way: If you want a strong Foreign Service, one that attracts and retains top talent, then you need to support and defend its members, full stop. One is intrinsically linked with the other.

The Fight Will Continue

AFSA will continue to fight the executive orders that dismantled USAID and USAGM, two of our member agencies, and eliminated our collective bargaining rights at State and USAID. We are still arguing our case in the courts, but our fight has already borne fruit. In mid-May, the bargaining rights we have enjoyed for more than 50 years were reinstated by a federal judge. We then moved quickly to demand back our rights to negotiate major personnel changes, including the State reorganization underway and the establishment of new precepts that form the basis for Foreign Service promotions.

These rights enable AFSA to hold this—and any—administration to account. Without these rights, decisions can be made behind closed doors, without AFSA’s knowledge, imperiling the nonpartisan, professional career Foreign Service. In the worst-case scenario, if our rights as a union are lost, we will continue the fight as a professional association in the media, in Congress, and in the court of public opinion. And I ask you to join us in this important endeavor. The future of our country and our Service depends on us.

Profound Thanks

I have been deeply impressed with the professionalism and results-oriented approach of our great AFSA staff in the offices of general counsel, congressional advocacy, professional policy issues, membership/outreach, communications, and the FSJ. I know their wise counsel and understanding of the many issues affecting our members has given me the wherewithal to make informed decisions, and they will do the same for the incoming board.

Thank you to our Governing Board members, most of whom are volunteers. Discussion at our monthly meetings could sometimes be spirited, but always with the intention of arriving at the best decisions for our members—and for that I am grateful. I also want to thank our indefatigable post reps overseas and all those who volunteered their time for AFSA, whether on the FSJ Editorial Board or elsewhere. Your work is much appreciated.

Looking Ahead

By the time this issue goes to print, we will be in the final stages of preparing incoming President John Dinkelman and the new Governing Board members for their first meeting on July 16. I congratulate John and all of those who ran in an election that saw the highest voter turnout of any in AFSA’s recent history. This energized electorate can only be beneficial for AFSA. I know that AFSA will be in good hands going forward, and I ask you to lend the new team your support.

As for me, I am looking forward to becoming an outspoken member of our great AFSA retiree/alumni cohort. As I look back on nearly 34 years in the Foreign Service (plus three in other USG agencies), I am grateful for a career that has given me so much that I feel a deep sense of obligation to give back.

Thank you for giving me the privilege of a lifetime in serving you. And may AFSA thrive for another hundred years.