Posts tagged federal government
Opinion: The Postal Service is Drowning the NLRB
September 30, 2026 // Around 15 percent of all ULP charges brought against employers are brought against the USPS. Around 23 percent of all ULP charges brought against unions are brought against the postal unions. The charges brought against the postal unions are generally individuals alleging that their union violated the duty of fair representation (DFR). Most of these charges appear to be without merit, as less than 15 percent of them result in some kind of remedy, whether a formal remedy from the Board or an adjusted dismissal/withdrawal. This is pretty typical of DFR charges across the country. What usually happens is an individual worker tries to pursue a grievance, the union decides the grievance is no good and opts not to pursue it, and the individual worker files a meritless DFR charge against the union.
Trump administration settles unions’ legal challenge to mass layoffs during shutdown
September 27, 2026 // President Donald Trump's administration on Friday agreed, opens new tab to pull back open-ended permission for federal agencies to lay off employees during government shutdowns to settle a lawsuit by a group of unions.
Union bosses remain hostile to MAGA
September 3, 2026 // Today, unions are banking on garnering enough Republican support to pass an anti-business Faster Labor Contracts Act. That legislation would strip workers of their right to vote on the terms and conditions of their employment if an agreement can’t be locked down over a few months. The legislation gives government bureaucrats the power to force workers and employers into union contracts while further expanding the size and power of the federal government. The legislation could also force workers and employers to adopt DEI programs, block immigration enforcement, and impose transgender policies. Given the long history of union leadership opposing Republican candidates and the Trump Agenda, it makes zero sense for Republicans to support legislation that would give even more power and money to union bosses.
Striking workers will need to seek jobs to qualify for WA unemployment benefits
August 24, 2026 // Workers on strike can receive up to six weeks of benefits. Unemployment is available following the second Sunday after a strike begins, plus a one-week waiting period. Typical unemployment insurance is offered for up to 26 weeks. The six weeks for striking workers was the result of negotiations between House and Senate Democrats. A person seeking unemployment benefits must show they are available and actively seeking suitable work. For each week they submit a claim, the person must complete three job search activities and keep a record of their efforts. They also must be signed up with a WorkSource employment center in the state, or an equivalent if they live in another state.
Opinion: Retirement Board, city unions prioritize members over taxpayers
June 23, 2026 // It was ironic. Some of the same union members that Lang could have legally laid off but instead saved their jobs by slightly reducing their pay, those same folks turned around and sued him. “Rocking-chair money,” Lang called the wages that the city workers demanded for not working.
Op Ed: Workers deserve a vote
April 28, 2026 // Collective bargaining in this industry works because both sides have to live with what they negotiate. An arbitrator on a federal deadline doesn’t have to live with anything. They write the contract and move on. But the district and the workers are stuck with it for two years. That’s the bill’s core flaw: it assumes labor negotiations only ever go slowly because of bad faith, but really, they often just take time to get right. Rushing that process and handing the outcome to an outside panel doesn’t produce better contracts.
Opinion– Editorial Board: Why the Republican-union alliance never works
April 22, 2026 // "The new acting secretary, Keith Sonderling, is a more conventional Republican choice for the job. Respected by conservatives, he would sail through the Senate confirmation process if nominated. He has already been competently running the department as deputy secretary, as it has advanced deregulation and protected independent contractor status for 11.9 million workers"
Commentary: Congress is about to undo DOGE’s biggest win
April 13, 2026 // That corrupt flow of campaign cash into Congress’s coffers is ultimately why, instead of being eliminated by DOGE, the FMCS is on track to be given a whole new set of powers. New Jersey Democrat Donald Norcross recently filed a discharge petition on the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The petition will force the House to vote on the bill once it reaches 218 signatures. The bill can easily hit that target if all 214 House Democrats sign the petition, along with any four of the bill’s 17 Republican cosponsors. Understanding a politician’s real priorities often requires zooming into these quiet battles over little-known agencies.
Op-ed: A bipartisan bill that would hurt employers and unions
April 12, 2026 // The bill would mandate that workers sometimes be subjected to labor contracts that they never vote for. The idea is to reduce the amount of time it takes between a union being recognized as the collective bargaining agent in a workplace and the enactment of an agreement. The National Labor Relations Act requires recognized unions and employers to negotiate in good faith, but it does not say how long that negotiating may last. In some cases, it can last years.
Opinion: Did Biden save unions? Now we have numbers.
February 23, 2026 // Local government employs more union workers than any other industry, by a lot. State government is the next largest employer. The category education and health services comes next, and even though it’s counted as a private industry, most of those jobs are closely connected to government programs. The federal government has more union members than the entire manufacturing sector.