A case filed by AFSCME, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), United Nurses Associations of California (UNAC) and others is shining a light on just how unlawfully federal public employees are being treated. A federal judge ruled last week that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) direction to do mass firings of probationary federal employees was illegal and must stop immediately.
The judge said when federal agencies fire employees for no reason, “that’s just not right in our country,” adding that we can’t “run our agencies with lies.” Read more.
These indiscriminate firings are already taking a toll on state and local public services, says AFSCME. That’s because state and local workers, including AFSCME members, collaborate with or rely on the federal workforce to provide public services in their states and communities.
These firings are also inspiring some anti-union extremists on state levels to begin their own public service gutting "taskforces."
Public service workers have had to do more with less for decades. We know better than anyone how to make government more efficient. For years, we’ve faced short-staffing and underfunding in states, cities and towns. Further cuts will make our work even harder, especially in corrections, state hospitals, and more. Read more.