Dear Senator:
On behalf of the AFL-CIO, I am writing to urge you to sign on to the letter authored by Senator Peters to Senate leadership urging inclusion of a House-passed provision in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill protecting the collective bargaining rights of federal employees.
The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 codified the rights of federal employees to form and join unions and engage in collective bargaining, stating, “labor organizations and collective bargaining in the civil service are in the public interest.” Unfortunately, over the past two years, the Trump Administration has sought to dismantle federal employee labor rights. In May 2018, President Trump issued three Executive Orders aimed at reducing official time, restricting collective bargaining, and undermining the union grievance process.
As the nation's largest employer, the federal government sets the tone for labor- management relations across the country. At a time when the right to unionize in both the public and private sector is increasingly under attack, we ask you to re-affirm your support for the rights of workers to have a voice on the job.
Federal workers need your help in maintaining their right to engage in meaningful collective bargaining. To sign on to the letter please contact Senator Peters’ office. The deadline for signatures is Friday, November 15th.
Sincerely
William Samuel
Director, Government Affairs