IAM Union Urges Congressional Support for Restoring Federal Workers' Collective Bargaining
The International Association of Machinists wrote to all members of Congress urging support for the Protect America's Workforce Act, which would restore collective bargaining rights to federal workers affected by Trump's March executive order.
IAM International President Brian Bryant sent a letter to Congress advocating for H.R. 2550, bipartisan legislation aimed at nullifying President Trump's March 27 executive order titled "Exclusions from the Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs." The order removed collective bargaining rights from approximately 75% of the federal workforce by invoking seldom-used provisions of federal labor law.
Bryant's letter emphasized that affected federal employees are "hard-working individuals who are our neighbors, our relatives and our friends, and they've taken the civic duty to ensure our nation keeps moving forward." The IAM represents thousands of federal workers through its affiliate, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), which represents 110,000 federal employees across various agencies.
The legislation received bipartisan support, with 218 House members signing a discharge petition (H. Res. 432) to force consideration of the bill. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jared Golden (D-ME) introduced the measure, which garnered enough signatures to bypass normal committee processes.
The IAM characterized itself as "one of the most diverse labor unions in the country" and emphasized its commitment to protecting the rights of federal workers who serve the public interest across numerous government agencies.
Key Points
- IAM letter urged all Congress members to support H.R. 2550
- Executive order removed collective bargaining rights from ~75% of federal workforce
- NFFE-IAM represents 110,000 federal employees
- Bipartisan discharge petition reached 218 signatures
- Introduced by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Jared Golden (D-ME)
- IAM emphasized civic duty and public service of federal workers
- March 27 executive order invoked rarely-used federal labor law provisions
Author: IAM Union Communications
Source: IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers)
Link: https://www.goiam.org/news/iam-union-urges-congress-to-support-restoring-federal-workers-collective-bargaining-rights/
