On March 27, the Trump administration issued a disgraceful and retaliatory Executive Order declaring war on working people by denying their collective bargaining rights. Read on to learn how you can stand with federal workers under attack.
This order was a direct attack on the rights of one million patriotic American civil servants. They are being targeted simply because they are members of a union that stands up to this administration’s harmful policies.
Trump’s order claims to be in response to national security concerns, but that’s plainly ridiculous. Elon Musk and Donald Trump don’t like that unions like the American Federal of Government Employees, which represents federal workers across the country, is standing up for their members against attempts to politicize the civil service, chaotically fire federal employees, and cut services to the American people. These federal workers have had union rights since before America went to the moon. A union nurse at the VA isn’t a threat to national security.
In the words of AFGE President Everett Kelley:
“President Trump’s latest executive order is a disgraceful and retaliatory attack on the rights of hundreds of thousands of patriotic American civil servants – nearly one-third of whom are veterans – simply because they are members of a union that stands up to his harmful policies. This administration’s bullying tactics represent a clear threat not just to federal employees and their unions, but to every American who values democracy and the freedoms of speech and association. Trump’s threat to unions and working people across America is clear: fall in line or else. These threats will not work. Americans will not be intimidated or silenced. AFGE isn’t going anywhere. Our members have bravely served this nation, often putting themselves in harm’s way, and they deserve far better than this blatant attempt at political punishment.”
Stand With Federal Workers: Sign Your Name
An Amicus Brief is a legal term for a filing from a “Friend of the Court”―a party with an interest in the outcome of the case, but who is not a formal party. This attack on workers affects all of us―so we’ve created a “Grassroots Amicus Brief” so that members of the public can show whose side we’re on!
This attack on federal workers is an attack on everything the government does. It is an attack on Social Security, on our national parks, and on our veterans.
This is a fight that will be won in the courts. But that doesn’t mean that we should sit around and wait for judges to recognize the legal rights of these workers.
The American Federation of Government Employees has already filed a lawsuit and will fight relentlessly to protect the rights of union members, and all working Americans, from these unprecedented attacks. But this fight is bigger than any one union―or even the labor movement.
Donald Trump wants to be the kind of billionaire boss with total control over his employees. Their ideas aren’t valued, and their service is taken for granted. If Trump gets his way, he won’t stop. He and his billionaire buddies like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk won’t stop until we’re all under his thumb.
Sign the Grassroots Amicus Brief supporting Federal Workers Standing up to Trump’s Executive Order right here.
In solidarity,
The Labor Force