Open for Trump: Closing Collective Bargaining Across Federal Agencies for National Security Purposes
This is Washington D.C. — In a move capped with intense invectives, United States President Donald Trump appended an executive order Thursday ceasing collective bargaining for federal unions at national security agencies. The announcement was made at night with little public notice and directly affects several states, including the Defense, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Justice Department agencies.
According to Trump, the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 grants him the authority to exclude bargaining rights from agencies that safeguard national security. The labor and union leaders view this move as a significant harm to workers’ protection and a political move against unions that defended Trump policies in court.
A Sweeping Change for Federal Workers
The new order removes bargaining rights for federal employees who protect national security from being represented by labor unions. The White House defended this decision by pointing to federal unions who resisted their government agenda, so Trump refused to let them block his safety planning work.
Federal unions have taken action to oppose President Trump’s priority initiatives, according to the White House media release. The President values fruitful partnership deals with unions, and he cannot manage agencies with national security tasks when they hinder his work.
Police officers and firefighters receive complete bargaining rights because the executive order excludes them from its provisions. Trump made several remarks alongside police officers to motivate this decision, critics say.
Union Leaders Vow to Fight Back
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the voice of over 820,000 federal employees, has condemned it and will take immediate action in court.
“President Trump’s latest executive order is a disgraceful and retaliatory blow to the rights of dear hundreds of thousands of hallowed fellow American civil servants-almost one-third of whom are veterans-simply because they belong to a union that fights back against his destructive policies,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley.
The AFL-CIO President, Liz Shuler, also released a strong statement, terming the order a brazen attempt to silence unions that have opposed Trump’s policies in court. “We will resist this egregious attack on our members by every ounce available within our collective body,” she stated.
Unions are already gearing up to fight the order in federal court, which they say infringes upon historical labor protections. Legal observers think that the battle could last for months, if not years.
A Pattern of Anti-Union Policies
This is not the only action by the Trump administration against unionized federal employees. Last month, for example, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded the collective bargaining agreement** for thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. The TSA union asserted the act was an **unprovoked assault and vowed to retaliate.
The administration previously made policies that made it hard for unions to gain entry to federal offices, reduced official work hours for union organizations, and increased the speed at which the government employs workers. These guidelines work to hurt union rights and weaken employee security inside the federal workforce.
Political Implications and the Road Ahead
People commonly believe this executive order serves a strategic political goal before elections happen again. Trump focuses on his conservative voters and warns other unions to support him by showing strong opposition to union groups that challenge his decisions.
Labor groups and unionized workers will be more motivated to support anti-Trump candidates in the next elections. Major labor organizations have not given up their fight despite their legal preparations and active protest plans.
The judicial process will determine what happens to the many workers who serve the federal government at this time. The present situation puts federal workers at risk of working without union protection, which will likely set new standards in the federal personnel system.
