New Orleans, La. (March 17, 2011) – LIUNA’s National Guard District Council today applauded the reintroduction of the National Guard Technician Equity Act, a critical piece of legislation that will provide greater workplace fairness and equity for National Guard dual-status technicians.

“National Guard dual-status technicians get the worst of both worlds – military and civilian,” said Ben Banchs, business manager of the National Guard District Council. “This measure will go a long way toward correcting the inequities in current law and treating National Guard technicians more like their civilian and military counterparts.”

The bill, introduced by Rep. Rob Andrews, D-N.J., makes a number of changes to federal law to provide greater workplace fairness and equity for National Guard dual-status technicians. These technicians are civilian employees of the National Guard, but must be a member of the Air or Army National Guard as a condition of their civilian position, a very unique feature in the federal government.

Federal law, including the outdated Technician Act of 1968, currently deprives National Guard technicians of long-term job security, the right to appeal suspensions or dismissals, some retirement benefits, affordable health care, overtime pay, enlistment and re-enlistment bonuses and adequate leave time for military training.

Terry O’Sullivan, General President of the Laborers’ Union said, “We are glad to be able to help the brave men and women who work as National Guard dual-status technicians. They serve their country every day on the front lines in natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and as an integral part of our armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. We thank Congressman Andrews for re-introducing this important legislation.”
Over 50,000 National Guard technicians are employed in all 50 states as well as all U.S. territories.
The half-million members of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – are on the forefront of the construction industry, a powerhouse of workers who are proud to build America.

Contact: Ben Banchs at (985) 249-2315 or benbanchs@liuna-ngdc.org