A union is still the best option for workers

The war on the American worker appears to escalate every day. The U.S. Supreme Court will deliver a decision on Janus v. AFSCME that many believe will upend almost five decades of precedent and eliminate fair share fees for all public-sector workers. Federal workers who already operate in a right-to-work environment are being weakened further by recent presidential executive orders.

A Trump Executive Order eliminates official time, which allows union officers to represent all the members of the bargaining unit, union members and non, in grievances and matters of broad interest to the workforce, including labor management, safety, and productivity meetings.

Trump’s attacks go farther than any president in modern history in undermining federal workers by proposing a wage freeze and reducing federal retirement benefits by $143.5 billion over 10 years. Trump has instructed agency officials to prepare contract renegotiation recommendations that are “not subject to disclosure” to union representatives. These recommendations encourage managers to hasten dismissals of employees instead of suspending them while discouraging progressive discipline.

Trump’s animus towards workers and the unions that represent them reflects his corporate background, prioritizing wealth at the expense of workers. Those priorities are reflected in soaring CEO pay and three decades of stagnant wages for workers.

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