Last week, a panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit granted the government’s motion to stay (or pause) a preliminary injunction issued by a federal district court judge against an executive order excluding most federal agencies and workers from the right to collective bargaining. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of federal union workers by their unions including AFGE, AFSCME and others.
“This ruling is certainly a setback for fundamental rights in America,” stated American Federation of Government Employee (AFGE) National President Everett Kelley on the harmful ruling that guts federal collective bargaining. “While we assess this order’s impact and our next steps in these preliminary injunction proceedings, we remain fully committed to fighting this case on the merits and are confident in our ability to ultimately prevail."
AFSCME President Lee Saunders is urging Congress' passage of the Protect America’s Workforce Act, which could override the union-busting executive order and safeguard federal workers’ collective bargaining rights.
"We urge the bill’s supporters to act swiftly and compel an immediate vote on the Protect America’s Workforce Act. Federal workers have dedicated their lives to keeping our communities safe and healthy, and they need a voice on the job to continue to defend the essential work they do from the billionaires and anti-union extremists who are trying to rob working people of our power.”
OCSEA continues to watch attacks on collective bargaining nationwide and its potential impact on Ohio's own collective bargaining for public employees as governed by law since 1983. "Busting unions and decimating public services in the name of 'efficiency,' 'cost-savings' and 'reduction of redundancies' is simply our anti-labor opponents' way of cutting vital services and union rights," said OCSEA President Chris Mabe. "We will not sit back and let anti-union attackers and their version of Ohio's 'DOGE' take away our union rights and the vital public services our members provide."