WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. John Fetterman joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers Wednesday to introduce legislation that would overturn two Trump administration executive orders limiting collective bargaining rights for federal employees, marking one of the most aggressive congressional challenges yet to the administration’s federal workforce policies.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act, co-sponsored by Sens. Mark Warner, Lisa Murkowski, Chris Van Hollen, Chuck Schumer, Brian Schatz, Alex Padilla, Angela Alsobrooks and Tim Kaine, seeks to restore workplace protections that unions and labor leaders say are critical for millions of federal employees. The orders, issued earlier this year, revoked collective bargaining rights for most federal workers under the Civil Service Reform Act.
“Federal workers do tough jobs that help every community across Pennsylvania, and they deserve full collective bargaining rights,” Fetterman said, noting Pennsylvania has more than 60,000 federal employees. “I will continue to advocate for their rights and safeguard the union way of life.”
The bill has drawn sharp support from labor unions, including the AFL-CIO, AFGE, AFSCME, SEIU, and the National Treasury Employees Union, which argue that stripping bargaining rights undermines whistleblower protections, veterans’ services, and safeguards against discrimination or retaliation. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler called the Trump orders “the biggest act of union-busting in our history.”
Warner, a lead sponsor, said the administration’s actions had “terrorized the federal workforce.” Van Hollen accused Trump of trying to replace career civil servants with “political cronies.” Schumer framed the fight as central to protecting America’s workforce, declaring, “Democrats know that union strong is America strong.”
Supporters of the legislation argue that revoking bargaining rights weakens federal agencies by making it easier to dismiss employees responsible for protecting public health, ensuring food and water safety, or conducting national security work. Critics of the Trump orders say they misuse national security provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act to classify two-thirds of the federal workforce as exempt from union protections.
Labor groups representing teachers, nurses, machinists, transportation workers, and federal inspectors issued statements backing the measure, saying collective bargaining is essential to maintaining effective and safe public services.
If enacted, the Protect America’s Workforce Act would nullify the executive orders and direct agencies to honor existing union contracts. The proposal is part of a broader push by congressional Democrats and allied unions to counter what they describe as a systematic effort to weaken organized labor across the federal workforce.
The legislation faces uncertain prospects in the closely divided Senate, but Democrats say the measure has bipartisan backing and reflects growing momentum in the House, where lawmakers are circulating a discharge petition to force a floor vote.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.