Congress Backs Bill to Reverse Union-Busting Executive Order

Congress Gains Momentum to Revoke Union-Busting Order

In a significant development on Capitol Hill, a legislative proposal aimed at reversing a controversial executive order from the White House is gaining traction among lawmakers. The order, issued in March, had effectively removed collective bargaining rights from a million federal employees, triggering immediate legal action from labor unions.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) alongside other labor organizations, has initiated a lawsuit in response. The legal proceedings are ongoing, with a crucial hearing scheduled for this week (source).

The legislative bill, introduced in April by Representatives Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), seeks to restore the bargaining rights previously nullified by the executive order. This bill, which enjoys bipartisan support, currently has 222 co-sponsors and is backed by major labor unions, including AFSCME and the AFL-CIO (source).

In the wake of the order's announcement, Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME, criticized the administration for what he termed as “blatant retribution” against federal workers. He stated, “Federal workers — including thousands of AFSCME members — are the lifeblood of their communities. The billionaires running this administration have proven that they are willing to bulldoze anything that stands in their way to enact their anti-worker, extremist agenda — even if it harms our communities.” (source)

AFSCME's resistance to these measures is part of a broader campaign against attempts to dismantle essential social programs like Medicaid, food assistance, Medicare, and Social Security. The union is actively mobilizing through its Get Organized initiative, encouraging widespread participation and advocacy.

For those interested in joining this effort, AFSCME emphasizes that “It’s GO time!” as a rallying cry for collective action (source).