The bipartisan Protect America’s Workforce Act would restore collective bargaining rights to federal workers after President Donald Trump stripped those rights away through executive order. Roughly 1 million federal workers lost their voice on the job overnight. This bill would reverse that action and ensure that the workers who support our country can once again advocate for themselves, their professions and the communities they serve.
Federal workers keep our country running. They include educators who teach the children of deployed service members in Department of Defense schools. They include nurses and healthcare workers who care for veterans in Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals. Many are veterans themselves. These workers deserve a seat at the table. Collective bargaining gives them a voice to improve working conditions, strengthen public services and better serve the American people.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act would:
- Restore collective bargaining rights that were taken away from federal workers.
- Ensure federal workers have a voice on the job and the ability to advocate for themselves.
- Strengthen public services by protecting the professionals who deliver them.
- Protect the dignity, safety and professional standing of federal workers.
- Affirm the fundamental right of workers to join together and bargain collectively.
The House of Representatives has already passed this bipartisan legislation. Now the Senate must act. AFT members believe every worker deserves a voice. Congress must pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act and restore union rights for federal workers.