Has there really been any significant change at the Agency that would result in improved morale? And why would the White House wish to remove the member of the Board who is the most vocal supporter of improving morale?
These questions are addressed in an article posted by the union representing Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) employees, American Federation of Government Employees, AFGE Local 1812.

“No, nothing of any real significance has changed in the way IBB management bullies its way around to pursue its goals: replacing U.S. citizen employees with interchangeable and pliable foreign and domestic contractors with no benefits, and no rights to pursue such benefits, to create a semi-private entity that they can rule as a fiefdom, even as it fails to fulfill its Congressionally-mandated mission of presenting the story of the United States and its values to the world.”

“AFGE Local 1812 strongly opposes replacing Governor Ashe. Ambassador Ashe has our full support.
Why? Because Governor Ashe has had the rare courage and gumption to raise issues the Agency is supposed to promote in its global broadcasts, ideals such as more open government, human rights, workers’ rights and good governance. According to the annual OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, Agency managers have failed these ideals abysmally — year after year after year after year.
We are still hopeful that things will change and that it will not be — business as usual.”

READ MORE: REAL CHANGES OR BUSINESS AS USUAL?, AFGE Local 1812, May 15, 2013.