AFT President condemns Trump order cutting federal bargaining rights

Trump's Executive Order Sparks Controversy Among Federal Workers

WASHINGTON—The recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump has drawn significant backlash from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and its president, Randi Weingarten. The order, which revokes the collective bargaining rights of federal employees, has been criticized as a misuse of national security concerns.

The AFT, which represents numerous employees in Department of Defense schools and Veterans Affairs hospitals, voiced strong opposition. Weingarten stated, “This illegal executive order, ripped from the pages of Project 2025, is blatant retaliation for federal workers standing up to Elon Musk’s chaos and harm on behalf of all Americans.”

The executive order's text, according to Weingarten, aims to suppress dissent within government ranks rather than bolster security. She argued that after workers legally challenged and criticized the dismantling of governmental bodies, the administration retaliated by stripping their bargaining rights. Both judicial and public opinion have sided with the workers’ plea for justice, she noted.

Federal employees affected by the order include educators teaching children of deployed military personnel at Department of Defense schools, nurses advocating for patient care in VA hospitals, and personnel ensuring food safety and managing Medicaid and Medicare.

Weingarten asserted that the administration is sending a message against union tolerance unless aligned with presidential preferences. She emphasized, “The labor movement’s job is to act on behalf of the people: those we serve and those we represent. We’re both a fundamental check and balance and a canary in the coal mine. Our job is to fight for a dignified life for working people.”

Undeterred, the AFT's 1.8 million members plan to persist in their advocacy efforts, engaging in legal, public, and political battles to preserve worker rights and the law.

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The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.