Weekly Union Recap June 23, 2025

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IFPTE Federal Sector Round Up on
Trump/Musk and DOGE Attacks on Federal Workers

Just when you think that the United States Senate is the somewhat thoughtful chamber of the United States Congress, relatively speaking, they unveil a version of a budget reconciliation bill that is even more draconian and immoral than the House-passed bill that IFPTE opposed. The Senate bill seeks to add Republican Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) policy proposals to eliminate official time and attack unions, give the President the authority to reorganize and dismantle federal agencies without Congressional approval, politicize the civil service, and undermine collective bargaining by forcing newly hired federal employees to choose to be at-will employees or pay a surcharge of 5% of their federal salary for merit protections. IFPTE, in coordination with the AFL-CIO, the Federal Workers Alliance (FWA), AFGE, NFFE, other several other unions, is working closely with key Senate lawmakers and staff to get these provisions ruled non-germane by the Senate Parliamentarian and therefore not included in the bill that the Senate plans to vote on. Here is a GovExec article that quotes IFPTE regarding the reorganization abrogation attempt. We are asking all our Locals and members to contact their Senators urging them to reject these provisions.

In addition to the federal employee-related provisions, the Senate bill contains deeper cuts than the House bill’s largest cuts to Medicaid and echoes the House bill’s sweeping cuts to food assistance programs that our nation has even seen, cuts that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates with result in 16 million Americans losing healthcare coverage and millions more, particularly children, losing food assistance. In addition to the impact these cuts would have on those losing healthcare and food assistance, the Medicaid program is the number one source of federal funding to state governments, with SNAP federal resources also being a significant source of federal revenue to states and localities. These cuts would lead to a loss of upwards of 850,000 jobs, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s Chief Economist, Josh Bivens.

While IFPTE continues to work against the House and Senate budget reconciliation packages, we continue to work in support of HR 2550, the Protect America’s Workforce Act, legislation jointly sponsored by Republican Congressman, Brian Fitzpatrick and Democratic Representative Jared Golden to overturn the Trump Administration’s union busting executive order denying collective bargaining rights to 1.5 million federal workers, including thousands of IFPTE-represented workers, while eliminating union payroll dues deduction. HR 2550 has eclipsed over 50% of House support with 222 bipartisan cosponsors.   Because the bill has a majority of the House supporting it, we are now attempting to procure a discharge petition in the House that would allow the bill to go straight to the House floor for an up or down vote. That discharge petition is needed because House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Republican House majority will not schedule this bill for committee action, much less a House vote. That’s unfortunate, but not surprising, and IFPTE will continue to plow ahead to get a House vote. As for the Senate companion bill that legislative director Faraz Khan is working to get introduced, there has yet to be a Republican Senator step up to co-introduce the bill with a Democratic Senator. This remains frustrating to IFPTE, particularly with respect to Senators Susan Collins from Maine and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, who given their large populations of federal employees working and living in their respective states, including thousands of IFPTE members. One would think that both would be anxious to support legislation like this…despite our frustration there, we are continuing to work to get the Senate version introduced.  

Legally, a preliminary injunction hearing was held on Wednesday in relation to the AFGE-led case against the Trump March 27th Union Busting Executive Order. The case was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, with the labor lawyers arguing that the Trump Administration’s attempt to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of over 1 million federal employees is retaliatory. Let us not forgot that along with the Union Busting EO also came an accompanying memo from the Administration calling federal unions “hostile” and alleging that they had “declared war on President Trump’s agenda.” IFPTE, which expects to be on a third lawsuit later this summer against the same Executive Order, is hopeful that the Court will grant an injunction against the EO and restore the collective bargaining rights of impacted workers, including IFPTE members. The status of other lawsuits is below.

Finally, IFPTE continues to roll out the EDues program with Locals 121 and 1 signing up members currently, and Locals 12, 3, 1921, 561 and others in the queue. IFPTE is hopeful that the Courts will ultimately rule against the Trump EO that took away dues deduction and collective bargaining rights, but is advising Locals to transfer over to EDues, even if the dues get turned back on. As unions we can’t have faith that President Trump, or a future President for that matter, will not try to eliminate our ability to collect dues moving forward. We can control our dues collection and should do so moving forward. That said, we again thank all the Locals across the IFPTE family that stepped up to support IFPTE’s federal sector by contributing to the set-up cost of the EDues system. “THANK YOU” again to Locals 1, 20, 21, 70, 160, 162, 194, 195, 1921 and 2001 for your generous contributions to the EDues program!

LEGISLATIVE:

  • The Senate budget reconciliation bill has been cobbled together this week by the Senate budget committee, and somewhat surprisingly, it is even worse than the House-passed bill that IFPTE opposed. Everything from historic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, to federal employee-related provisions that aim to eliminate federal unions altogether, are in the bill. IFPTE responded by sending a letter to Senate leaders warning that the provisions, “would harm federal agencies’ ability to work with federal employee unions to create efficient workplaces, recruit and retain the best talent America has to offer to address the challenges our nation faces, support our national security and economic prosperity, provide the American people with high-quality services, and keep our communities safe.” IFPTE further urged Senate lawmakers to make the case to the Senate Parliamentarian that these radical, policy changing provisions have no place in a budget reconciliation bill. See IFPTE’s letter here, and the GovExec article on the efforts of the Senate to abrogate their oversight of government agencies to the president.
  • The Protect America’s Workers Act (HR 2550) introduced last month by Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA) and Democratic Rep. Jared Golden (ME) to repeal the Trump Executive Order (EO) eliminating collective bargaining rights for 1.5 million federal workers, now has 222 cosponsors, representing more than 50% of the House of Representatives.   This means that IFPTE and labor can now pivot to working to get these cosponsors to sign a discharge petition to force a full vote of the House of Representatives. A discharge petition is needed because despite the overwhelming support for the legislation, House Speaker Mike Johnson will not schedule the bill for consideration. See IFPTE’s letter supporting the House bill.
  • Legislative Director Faraz Khan continues to work with key Senators to procure a similar bill to the Fitzpatrick-Golden bill in the Senate, and IFPTE anticipates a bill to be introduced in the coming days, with Virginia Senator Mark Warner expected to author the Senate version of the bill. Please continue to Call your Congressional Representative and ask them to cosponsor the bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act.
  • Tell Congress: Hands Off Federal Employees’ Retirement Benefits and Merit System Protections. IFPTE and the larger labor movement’s legislative efforts were successful in getting the FERS pension cuts for federal workers removed from the House-passed budget reconciliation package. However, the fight is not over, as this issue now moves over to the Senate. As reported in The Hill this week, Senate support for the draconian House bill is not certain.   In other words, we need to shift our focus to Senate lawmakers and tell them, “Hands Off” of our retirement benefits. Slashing retirement benefits and reducing the take-home pay of federal workers will trigger an exodus of experienced and skilled federal workers and hollow out agencies that provide essential services and functions. Congress needs to hear from everyday Americans that lawmakers should be preserving the government’s ability to recruit and retain the best talent America has to offer to address the challenges our nation faces, support our national security and economic prosperity, provide the American people with high-quality services, and keep our communities safe. Email Your Senators and urge them to oppose any cuts to federal employees’ retirement benefits, any reductions to take-home pay, and any effort to force newly hired federal employees to choose between pay and civil service protections.
  • IFPTE continues to ask lawmakers to cosponsor HR 3093, the “Restoring Employment and Hiring Incentives for Removed Employees Act” or REHIRE Act to rebuild the federal workforce by providing a hiring preference for federal workers who were fired or otherwise involuntarily removed during the Trump Administration, and; HR 3094, the ‘‘Probationary Reduction for Employee Protections Act’’ or PREP Act would clarify that federal employees who are new to the competitive service have a 1-year probationary period, and employees who are moving to a new competitive service position from another position will have a 6-month probationary period. Both bills are authored by Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA) and IFPTE is encouraging Locals to also urge their House members to cosponsor these bills.

LEGAL:

  • AFGE-led case in the U.S. District Cour for the Northern District of California – A preliminary injunction hearing was held on Wednesday in relation to the AFGE-led case against the Trump March 27th Union Busting Executive Order. The case was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California with the labor lawyers arguing that the Trump Administration’s attempt to eliminate the collective bargaining rights of over 1 million federal employees is retaliatory. Let us not forgot that along with the Union Busting EO also came an accompanying memo from the Administration calling federal unions, “hostile,” and alleging that they had, “declared war on President Trump’s agenda.” IFPTE, which expects to be on a third lawsuit later this summer against the same Executive Order, is hopeful that the Court will grant an injunction against the EO and restore the collective bargaining rights of impacted workers, including IFPTE members.

    This AFGE case is the second of two filed so far against the union busting order, with NTEU filing the initial lawsuit in the DC Federal Circuit. Unfortunately, the May 7th injunction on the Trump Union Busting EO in the NTEU lawsuit was lifted on May 16th by a three-judge appeals panel. The 2-1 majority decision lifting the restraining order ruled that the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) did not prove damage to the Union, even though the EO caused the immediate elimination of payroll union dues from federal union members to their Unions, including IFPTE.   The merits of the NTEU suit continue through the legal process.

    See the NTEU lawsuit here.
  • More lawsuits to come – As part of the overall litigation strategy, IFPTE is part of a coalition of unions joining together to file an additional lawsuit later this Summer against the Executive Order in a venue to be determined. We thank those Locals that have already provided information to our Legal Department and ask that Local leaders continue to do so as we prepare.   Please contact IFPTE General Counsel Teresa Ellis at tellis@ifpte.org with any pertinent information regarding specific impacts from the imposition of the EO.
  • May 22nd injunction blocking EO 14210 on RIFs remains in place – The preliminary injunction in the Ninth Circuit was granted on May 22nd stated that President Trump cannot implement mass layoffs of federal workers without the approval of Congress which created these agencies. “Presidents may set policy priorities for the executive branch, and agency heads may implement them. This much is undisputed,” said Judge Susan Illston for the Northern District of California in her decision. “But Congress creates federal agencies, funds them, and gives them duties that—by statute—they must carry out. Agencies may not conduct large-scale reorganizations and reductions-in-force in blatant disregard of Congress’s mandates, and a President may not initiate large-scale executive branch reorganization without partnering with Congress.” The ruling is an extension of the two-week temporary restraining order (TRO) she previously issued on May 9. This means the 22 agencies named in the lawsuit are prohibited from implementing their planned layoffs until the case is resolved.

    The restraining order applies to the following agencies: OMB, OPM, DOGE, USDA, Commerce, Energy, HHS, HUD, Interior, Labor, State, Treasury, Transportation, VA, AmeriCorps, EPA, GSA, NLRB, NSF, SBA, and SSA and their efforts to implement or enforce sections 3(c) and 3(e) of Executive Order 14210 or the February 26, 2025 OMB/OPM Memorandum.

    In addition, plaintiffs this week sought an emergency status conference for “apparent noncompliance” with a federal judge’s preliminary injunction barring officials from carrying out large-scale reductions-in-force. At least two federal agencies — the State Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development — have “continued to implement” President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14210 despite U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s preliminary injunction barring them from doing so. This, among other cases, moves in the direction of a constitutional showdown and we will be watching closely and ready to mobilize.

    The Trump Administration has appealed to the Supreme Court.
  • Possible victory against “channeling” – National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ), IFPTE Judicial Council 2 First Amendment Case – Two weeks ago the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a huge win for the NAIJ/IFPTE Judicial Council 2, and federal workers, by reviving a First Amendment case brought by the NAIJ against the Department of Justice’s ‘gag order’ imposed on Immigration Judges. The DOJ policy required pre-approval by the agency for any immigration judge to speak on “official matters,” including for any union officials acting in their union capacity on behalf of the immigration judges’ unit.   The district court had found that the NAIJ had to first go to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) before suing in federal court; and dismissed the case. However, the 4th Circuit decision recognized the current state of affairs throughout the civil service system and questioned whether the MSPB and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) were still functional given the Trump Administration’s attacks on them. In her opinion, Judge Berman wrote, “The Civil Service Reform Act requires a strong and independent Merit Systems Protections Board and Special Counsel. That foundational principle, that functioning and independent bodies would receive, review, and decide in the first instance challenges to adverse personnel actions affecting covered federal employees, has recently been called into question. Because Congress intended for the Civil Service Reform Act to strip district courts of jurisdiction only if federal employees were otherwise able to receive adequate and independent review of their claims, we vacate and remand to the district court to consider whether the text, structure, and purpose of the Civil Service Reform Act has been so undermined that the jurisdiction stripping scheme no longer controls.”

    As such, the court has helped clear a path for federal unions arguing against so-called “channeling” to the FLRA, OSC, and MSPB by acknowledging the fact that bringing an issue to a broken system for a resolution is futile. Here is a link to the decision.

In other news on the Legal front:

  • IFPTE is a co-plaintiff in a RIF case in D.C. District Court covering all our Locals, including DOD. As we previously informed you, plaintiffs’ requests for a TRO and PI were rejected by the court. This case is still pending on the merits; the government filed a motion to dismiss on May 15.     Here is the amended complaint. We will keep Locals updated as this litigation continues.
  • IFPTE RIF guidance to Locals – Please see the March 11 memo from IFPTE GC, Teresa Ellis, and Greg McGillivary of McGillivary Steele Elkin regarding Reductions-In-Force (RIFs) and Mass Terminations of Federal Employees. OPM, OMB and DOGE mandated that federal agencies produce RIF lists by April 14.   RIF guidance memo here.
    • See the February 26th OPM memo instructing agencies to largely ignore RIF language in union negotiated CBA’s and calling on agencies to identify positions to RIF by April 14. IFPTE recommends that Locals file grievances if management refuses to abide by negotiated RIF language in their respective CBAs.
  • Legal support for federal workers – Rise Up, Fight Back – Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have had their basic rights violated on the job—including tens of thousands who have been fired illegally. Federal workers have an urgent need for legal support. Federal workers now have a network of lawyers helping to get them the justice they deserve.   See the GovExec article here.

Status of all lawsuits against the current administration can be found at Just Security: “Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.”

GRASSROOTS:

  • “Civil Service Strong” coalition – IFPTE is proud to partner with the Civil Service Strong project of Democracy Forward, along with other unions, to support our members who are civil servants under attack by the Trump administration. Alongside the 95% of people who believe civil servants should be hired and promoted based on their merit rather than their political beliefs, Civil Service Strong is committed to supporting a career, non-partisan civil service and the people who power it. Learn more here.
  • MAKE A CALL – Restore Federal Employee Rights Now – IFPTE joins the AFL-CIO campaign asking every single American who cares about the fundamental freedom of all workers to join a union to call their member of Congress right now. Fill out the form to receive a call or dial 844-896-5059. Learn more here.

IFPTE Members are telling their Congressional lawmakers: “Hands Off Federal Employees’ Retirement Benefits and Merit System Protection” – Don’t allow millionaires and billionaires in Congress and the White House to use federal employees as a cost offset for budget reconciliation legislation. Learn more here

PUBLIC RELATIONS and COMMUNICATIONS:

Today begins a crucial week for the Bilious Billionaire’s Bill, as the Senate tries to keep the president’s anti-worker agenda moving forward despite its widespread unpopularity. Key provisions have been knocked out for procedural reasons, and IFPTE will track day-to-day changes as we continue to fight against several items aimed at punishing civil servants. Make sure you keep up with the latest and receive critical calls to action by signing up for clips and encourage your coworkers to do the same. To sign up for clips, please fill out this form:
https://www.ifpte.org/federal-news-clips.

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