Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill Proposals To Bust Federal Employee Unions Harm All Working Americans and the Public Interest
IFPTE Condemns Senate Republicans’ Provisions that Target Federal Employees’ Union Rights and Surrender Congressional Authority to the Trump Administration
WASHINGTON, DC – The executive officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) offered comments condemning the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s (HSGAC) proposals for the Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill. The HSGAC proposals include language that would eliminate official time and attack unions, give the President the authority to reorganize and dismantle federal agencies without Congressional approval, and would politicize the civil service and undermine collective bargaining by forcing newly hired federal employees to choose to be at-will employees or pay a surcharge of 5% of their federal salary for merit protections. These provisions have not yet been added to the Senate Republicans’ Budget Reconciliation Bill, but are under consideration for being included.
IFPTE President Matthew Biggs:
“We are committed to opposing the Republican Senate Governmental Affairs Committee leadership’s budget reconciliation text, which would enact union-busting policies and provisions to dismantle government agencies that work for the public interest. Make no mistake, an unaccountable process that charges federal unions for official time is meant to destroy unions for federal employees and hobble federal agencies. IFPTE members across federal agencies know well that official time is a force multiplier that allows their union and the agency management to identify opportunities to boost productivity, work together to achieve efficiencies, and quickly resolve workplace issues. And the inclusion of the Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 in the reconciliation bill would be nothing short of Congress surrendering its authority and deliberative process to a President who is recklessly dismantling the government, harming public services, and wasting government resources. These provisions also include the attempt to bring corruption and politicization into the government by attacking merit protections for federal employees in new positions. We call on all lawmakers in Congress to oppose these budget reconciliation provisions that attack the federal government and the federal workforce that serves the American public. This is not just about standing up for our members and our union, but for all Americans.”
IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson:
“In this budget reconciliation bill, Members of Congress have a simple choice to make when they consider whether to include provisions that attack federal employee unions, the merit-based civil service, and abdicate their power to check the Executive Branch that is hellbent on gutting the federal government: Do you stand by the federal workers who have taken an oath to defend our Constitution, serve the American people, and are committed to joining together in their unions to improve their working conditions and create high-performing workplaces? Or are you willing to give up the agencies and government functions that provide for national security, economic prosperity, scientific advancement, and public safety to an Administration that continues to violate the law, ignore the separation of powers, and threaten to corrupt our government and democratic institutions? IFPTE intends to make sure Congressional lawmakers understand what is on the line and what they need to do to fulfill their oath to Americans.”