The Executive Orders and What They Do
On May 25, 2018, President Trump signed Executive Orders # 13836, 13837, and 13839. These executive orders diminish the rights of federal workers in several ways, including:- Banning federal employees from having access to grievance procedures when they are fired or suffer other adverse employment actions;
- Limiting any employment improvement plan to 30 days;
- Setting time limits on collective bargaining agreement negotiations;
- Restricting what issues are subject to collective bargaining agreements;
- Limiting employees to only 25 percent of their work time to engage in union activities;
- Reexamining existing collective bargaining agreements to find ways to reduce costs; and
- Preventing government agencies from changing personnel records as part of any settlement negotiations concerning an adverse employment action or an administrative challenge.
What Happens Now?
In response to these executive orders, a number of unions that represent federal workers have sued President Trump and relevant government agencies and officers. In three lawsuits, the unions allege, among other things, that the executive orders are improper because they exceed constitutional and statutory mandates. For example, the unions contend that the executive orders contradict collective bargaining rights provided by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA) and attempt to rewrite the law. The three cases have been consolidated into a single case, with motions for summary judgment filed by the various parties involved. Oral arguments were held in late July, but no ruling was immediately issued. Instead, Judge Jackson, who presides over the consolidated cases, said she would take the motions “under advisement.” This means she would issue a ruling in the near future after taking more time to examine the case.Summing It Up
- In May 2018, President Trump signed three executive orders that reduce the collective bargaining rights of federal workers as well as make it easier for them to be fired.
- Several federal worker unions have challenged the legality of these executive orders, with the court expected to issue a decision within the coming months.