AFSCME Files Lawsuit Against Administration's "Fork Directive"

Unions Challenge Administration's 'Fork Directive' in Court

In a significant legal move, AFSCME and its allies are confronting the administration's latest measure aimed at reshaping the federal workforce. This contentious policy, known as the "fork directive," has prompted unions to take decisive action.

On Tuesday, AFSCME, along with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 3707, and the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), filed a lawsuit to halt the implementation of the "fork directive." The administration set February 6 as the deadline for federal employees to accept a resignation offer, a move unions contend is both arbitrary and unlawful.

According to a press statement, AFSCME demands the administration clarify a legitimate policy instead of presenting an ultimatum that workers might struggle to contest legally. Represented by Democracy Forward, a legal organization, the unions aim to protect career public service workers from being replaced by partisan appointees.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders voiced strong opposition, stating, "We are filing this lawsuit to stop the purge of qualified professionals from the federal government workforce. Not only are these actions illegal and a scam, but they are eroding the health and well-being of our communities."

The lawsuit highlights the critical roles played by these federal workers, from managing essential benefits like Medicare and Social Security to safeguarding public resources such as water and food, and overseeing national security. Saunders warned of "devastating impacts on working people" if the directive goes unchecked.

The "fork directive" aligns with Project 2025's controversial strategy to replace nonpartisan workers with loyalists. This directive threatens numerous federal employees with a stark choice: resign now or risk losing their jobs without compensation in the future.

Complicating matters, the directive offers a severance package that unions argue is illegal, as it remains uncertain whether Congress has allocated funds for such payouts.

This legal action is the second in a series by AFSCME and AFGE to counter the administration's attempts to politicize the civil service. A previous lawsuit targeted efforts to dismantle the Schedule F regulation, designed to protect federal workers' rights.

For more details on the lawsuit, visit: https://www.afscme.org/AFGE-AFLCIO-Fork-2.4.25.pdf