Trump Signs Executive Order Ending Bargaining Rights for Federal Workers

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that eliminates collective bargaining rights for large portions of the federal workforce, a move that unions say affects more than a million employees. The decision, part of Trump’s broader efforts to reshape government employment policies, marks a significant shift in federal labor relations.

National Security Cited as Justification

According to a White House fact sheet, the administration is using the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) as the legal foundation for the move. The CSRA allows the president to restrict collective bargaining at agencies responsible for national security. Historically, this provision has applied to employees at intelligence agencies such as the CIA, FBI, and NSA. However, Trump's order extends the restriction far beyond intelligence work.

The order applies to employees whose jobs involve areas like border security, foreign relations, public safety, energy security, the economy, and even pandemic preparedness. Despite its broad scope, the order notably excludes police officers and firefighters, who will retain their collective bargaining rights.

Unions Call the Move an Attack on Workers

Federal employee unions have criticized the order, arguing that collective bargaining is a fundamental right that helps workers address workplace concerns without disrupting government functions. The CSRA itself states that "labor organizations and collective bargaining in the civil service are in the public interest."

The administration has previously taken steps to weaken union protections, such as limiting the time union representatives can spend on collective bargaining activities and removing telework agreements from union contracts. Additionally, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers had already lost their collective bargaining rights under earlier executive actions.

A Far-Reaching Impact

The executive order affects employees at 19 federal agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, State, Justice, Energy, Interior, Treasury, and Defense.

The White House has framed the move as necessary to streamline government operations, claiming that "certain Federal unions have declared war on President Trump's agenda" and that the CSRA enables unions to "obstruct agency management."

Federal employee unions have taken legal action in response to previous administration decisions, challenging measures such as mass firings of probationary employees and the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It is expected that this latest order will also face legal opposition.

As the order takes effect, the future of collective bargaining for many federal employees remains uncertain.