President Donald Trump’s newest assault on the working class was delivered within the type of an govt order late Thursday that seeks to strip the collective bargaining rights from a whole bunch of hundreds of federal authorities staff, a transfer that labor rights advocates mentioned shouldn’t be solely illegal however as soon as once more exposes Trump’s deep antagonism towards working folks and their households.
The executive order by Trump says its objective is to “improve the nationwide safety of the US,” however critics say its clear the president is hiding behind such a declare as a solution to justify a broadside towards collective bargaining by the general public workforce and to intimidate staff extra broadly.
“President Trump’s newest govt order is a disgraceful and retaliatory assault on the rights of a whole bunch of hundreds of patriotic American civil servants — practically one-third of whom are veterans — just because they’re members of a union that stands as much as his dangerous insurance policies,” mentioned Everett Kelley, president of the 820,000-member American Federation of Authorities Workers (AFGE), the nation’s largest union of federal staff.
The far-reaching order, which cites the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act because the supply of his presidential authority, goes manner past limiting collective bargaining and union illustration at companies with a nationwide safety mandate, however as a substitute tries to ensnare dozens of federal companies and classifications of federal staff who work past that scope.
According to the Related Press, the intent of the order “seems to the touch many of the federal authorities.”
AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler responded with disgust to the order, declaring that the transfer comes instantly out of the pre-election blueprint of the Heritage Basis, which has been planning this sort of assault towards the federal workforce and collective bargaining for years, if not many years.
“Straight out of Challenge 2025, this govt order is the very definition of union-busting,” mentioned Schuler in a Thursday evening assertion. “It strips the elemental proper to unionize and collectively discount from staff throughout the federal authorities at greater than 30 companies. The employees who be sure that our meals is suitable for eating, take care of our veterans, shield us from public well being emergencies and rather more will not have a voice on the job or the flexibility to arrange with their coworkers for higher circumstances at work to allow them to effectively present the companies the general public depends upon.”
Shuler mentioned the order is clearly designed as “punishment for unions who’re main the struggle towards the administration’s unlawful actions in courtroom — and a blatant try to silence us.”
The White Home virtually admitted as a lot, saying in a press release that “Trump helps constructive partnerships with unions who work with him; he is not going to tolerate mass obstruction that jeopardizes his means to handle companies with important nationwide safety missions.” In impact, particularly with a definition of “nationwide safety” that encompasses a overwhelming majority of all authorities capabilities and companies, the president has advised an estimated two-thirds of presidency staff they’re not allowed to disagree with or impede his efforts as they set up to defend their jobs or advocate for higher working circumstances.
Describing the transfer as “bullying techniques” by Trump and his administration, Kelley mentioned the order represents “a transparent menace not simply to federal workers and their unions, however to each American who values democracy and the freedoms of speech and affiliation. Trump’s menace to unions and dealing folks throughout America is obvious: fall in line or else.”
“These threats is not going to work. Individuals is not going to be intimidated or silenced. AFGE isn’t going wherever. Our members have bravely served this nation, usually placing themselves in hurt’s manner, and so they deserve much better than this blatant try at political punishment,” he added.
Each AFGE and the AFL-CIO mentioned they might struggle the order tooth and nail on behalf of federal staff — and all staff — who’ve a proper to collective bargaining and to not be intimidated for organizing their workplaces, whether or not within the public or non-public sector.
“To each single American who cares concerning the elementary freedom of all staff, now’s the time to be even louder,” mentioned Shuler. “The labor motion shouldn’t be about to let Trump and an un-elected billionaire destroy what we’ve fought for generations to construct. We are going to struggle this outrageous assault on our members with each fiber of our collective being.”
Kelley mentioned AFGE was “making ready speedy authorized motion” in response to Trump’s order, and vowed to “struggle relentlessly to guard our rights, our members, and all working Individuals from these unprecedented assaults.”
We’re not backing down within the face of Trump’s threats.
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