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Trump Cancels Collective Bargaining Agreements at Fed
As Payday Report went to press this afternoon, the Trump Administration announced that they were canceling all federal collective bargaining agreements reached in the last 30 days of the Biden Administration.
“It is the policy of the executive branch that CBAs executed in the 30 days prior to the inauguration of a new President, and that purport to remain in effect despite the inauguration of a new President and administration, shall not be approved,” wrote the Trump Administration in a press release sent to Payday.
Trump signaled out specifically that he was upset about the Department of Education reaching a new collective bargaining agreement just a week before he took office. Trump and his allies have vowed to eliminate the Department of Education.
“The Department of Education negotiated a CBA on January 17, 2025 -- 3 days before I took office -- that generally prohibits the agency from returning remote employees to their office,” said the Trump White House. “Such last-minute, lame-duck CBAs, which purport to bind a new President to his predecessor's policies, run counter to America's system of democratic self-government.”
Read the full press release here.
The American Federation of Government Employees pushed back aggressively on the attack on the federal workers.
“Federal employees should know that approved union contracts are enforceable by law, and the president does not have the authority to make unilateral changes to those agreements,’ said AFGE President Everett Kelley in a message sent to Payday Report. “AFGE members will not be intimidated. If our contracts are violated, we will aggressively defend them.”
Payout Offers Stiffen Federal Worker Resistance
It's unclear if Trump will be able to retroactively apply his new executive order towards collective bargaining agreements reached prior to him coming into office. What is clear is that federal employees are being increasingly emboldened to fight back.
Payday Report has heard from many federal workers who said that they were considering looking for new jobs once Trump took over. Many doubt whether Trump even has the legal ability to honor his proposed deal of an 8 month salary buyout.
“To all the other F*deral G*vt employees. Y'all better NOT take that "buyout". We have a union for a reason! Hold the fucking line!!!!,” tweeted federal employee India Renee (a Payday subscriber).” The Union will get you a better deal than that "to unsubscribe to your career, reply 'resign'" ass email! Don't be fooled.”
For more on how the buyout has stiffened federal resistance, check out the New Republic.
Will Labor Strike to Protect the NLRB?
Earlier this week, Trump fired NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo (a move widely expected by many in labor).
However, many were shocked when Trump fired National Labor Relations Board Member Gwynne Wilcox. She was only 1 year into her 5 year term and the move was unprecedented in NLRB history.
Now, acting NLRB General Counsel Jessica Rutter has warned career civil servants in a memo to expect a massive purge.
“I cannot promise that everything will be OK,” wrote Rutter. “I can promise you that I will be standing with the employees of this Agency to effectuate our mission and because I know many of you personally, I know you will be doing the same.”
With employees at the NLRB vowing to resist, it will be crucial to see what unions will do if employees at the NLRB went on strike.
Will labor engage in large-scale strikes if Trump does a massive purge is a question that is on the minds of many. In 2019, federal employees engaged in large-scale wildcat “sickouts” of air constrollers at airports, which were successful in resisting a government shutdown.
Email melk@paydayreport.com and let us know what your union is doing at the federal level.
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Costco Raises Pay to $30-an-Hour to Avert Strike
In good news for workers, Costco has now raised its base pay to $30-an-hour. The news comes as it attempts to avert a strike of over 18,000 Teamsters that is scheduled to start at midnight.
"Costco is still shorting their workers because nonunion workers lack the retirement security of a defined benefit pension plan and the job protections that come with a union contract," Teamsters leader McQuaid said in an email to NPR.
Philly Immigrants Call for Super Bowl Strike Next Sunday
In Philadelphia, the Eagles are set to play for the Super Bowl in a city notorious for partying when the Eagles win.
However, immigrants in the city are vowing to go on strike to show how Philadelphia depends on them.
“Already, we are seeing communities across our city, our state, this nation terrorized, family separated by ICE, refugees and asylum seekers’ rights being denied,” Jasmine Rivera, executive director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition told WHYY.
Civil Rights Lawyer Killed in DC Plane Crash
Finally, Payday Report mourns the deaths of the 67 souls that were killed in the plane crash at National Airport. One of those killed was Kiah Duggins, who was a lawyer with the Civil Rights Corporation and slated to begin teaching at Howard University this year. She worked heavily against cash bail policies around the country.
“Her loss is heartbreaking, not only for her family and friends but for everyone who believes in justice and equality,” Former Sedgwick County Commissioner Lacey Cruse wrote in a Facebook post. “May her work, her message, and her spirit continue to inspire and create change. Gone too soon but never forgotten.”
For more on Duggins legacy, check out KCWH.
News & Headlines Elsewhere
- Trump pushes air traffic controllers to resign less than 24 hours after deadly crash
- 1,300 Google workers sign petition pushing management supporting Trump
- With tampons and code, Silicon Valley workers quietly protest tech’s rightward shift
- Disabled workers are getting screened out of digital hiring
- A landmark Oregon hospital staffing law wasn’t enough to avert a massive nurses strike
- United Farm Workers secures first contract in New York
- Finally, Liberian workers at world’s largest rubber plantation prepare to strike.
Alright folks, that’s all for today. Keep sending tips, stories, emails to melk@paydayreport.com
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Thanks again for reading and supporting us.
Melk
