significant move against federal employee

President Donald Trump made a significant move against federal employee unions late Thursday by signing an executive order designed to terminate collective bargaining for government workers involved in national security roles.

This extensive order affects personnel in various federal agencies, including the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Health and Human Services, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Communications Commission, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A fact sheet from the White House stated, "The President requires a responsive and accountable civil service to safeguard our national security." The order aims to curtail the influence of federal unions that have "declared war on President Trump's agenda." It specifically mentioned that the American Federation of Government Employees—the largest union—has filed numerous grievances to obstruct Trump's policies. "President Trump will not allow union interference to hinder his mission of protecting Americans and our national interests," the fact sheet emphasized, noting that the president is exercising powers granted by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.

On Thursday, the Office of Personnel Management issued guidance stating that agencies and divisions affected by the executive order are no longer required to negotiate collectively with federal unions. It indicated that these agencies could implement significant workforce reductions as previously directed by Trump, bypassing the provisions in the now-terminated collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, procedural limitations on agency return-to-office mandates will no longer apply once the agreements are terminated. The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents over 800,000 workers, condemned the order in a statement released Thursday night, highlighting its impact on the collective bargaining rights of more than 1 million federal employees.
"President Trump's latest executive order is a disgraceful and retaliatory assault on the rights of hundreds of thousands of dedicated American civil servants—about one-third of whom are veterans—simply because they belong to a union that challenges his harmful policies," said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. "AFGE is preparing to take immediate legal action and will vigorously defend our rights, our members, and all working Americans against these unprecedented attacks," Kelley added. The National Treasury Employees Union also announced plans for rapid action. "The executive order aimed at eliminating collective bargaining rights for federal employees across the government represents a blatant attempt by the administration to continue its reckless assault on essential federal agency services without obstruction," remarked NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald. "We will actively contest this illegal order in court." Since his inauguration, Trump has sought to transform the federal workforce. Early in his presidency, he ended remote work for federal employees and provided guidance on how agencies could bypass union agreements regarding telework. Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security announced its intention to revoke the collective bargaining agreement affecting tens of thousands of transportation security officers at airports.

Federal unions have pushed back, filing multiple lawsuits in federal court—many of which have temporarily thwarted Trump's plans. Lawsuits from AFGE and other unions have successfully overturned the administration's layoffs of tens of thousands of probationary employees in certain federal agencies and blocked Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive Social Security data, among other significant rulings.
CCN