Out of Office: The Art of the Auto-Reply
Thursday, October 3, 2013(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Many Union
City
readers work for the federal government so we got a lot of auto-replies to
yesterday’s edition of Union City, most of which were pretty standard “Due
to a
lapse in funding, certain government activities have been suspended and I am
unable to respond to your message at this time,” etc. However, a couple were
a
bit more unusual. One from the National Labor Relations Board said that the
NLRB “is currently closed due to a lapse in appropriated funds” but went on
to
say that “If you want to report an imminent threat to human life or property
as
a result of a violation of the National Labor Relations Act, you should
call (202)
273-1000, send a fax to (202) 273-4483, or send
an email to EmergencyContact@NLRB.gov.” Duly noted. And one from a staffer in
Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski’s office said that “Despite Senator
Mikulski’s repeated efforts to keep the government open this office, along
with
those of other Members of Congress, is shut down…Senator Mikulski deeply
opposes shuttering the offices of the federal government and the Senator is
fighting for an effective, efficient and frugal government. I look forward to
reconnecting when the government is open again.” photo:
AFSCME 1653
President Ralph Randall talking with tourists outside the Museum of Natural
History; photo by Chris Garlock