The order is aimed at “last-minute, lame-duck” agreements signed by the Biden administration, a White House memo says.The New York Times reports that President Trump has issued a memorandum on Friday that invalidates government labor contracts finalized within the last 30 days before a presidential inauguration. This move is part of the President’s efforts to make his mark on the federal work force. The policy specifically targets contracts negotiated towards the end of the Biden administration, which the memo claims are designed to circumvent the will of the people and limit the President’s authority to manage the executive branch.
The memo also mentions agreements made by unions at various agencies, such as the Education Department, to preserve certain practices from the previous administration, like remote work. These agreements could potentially be undone if they have not yet been approved by the relevant agency head. However, it is worth noting that some agencies, like the Social Security Administration, have already approved new collective bargaining agreements outside of the 30-day window, which may not be affected by the memo.
It is unclear if the memo will face legal challenges from federal employee unions, but it does seem to anticipate such pushback. The memo states that it should remain in effect even if a portion of it, specifically the part that refers to prohibited bargaining agreements from the Biden administration, is found to be invalid.
In response to the memo, Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, stated that federal employees should know that approved union contracts are legally enforceable and that the President does not have the authority to unilaterally change them. He also reassured members that if their contracts are violated, the union will aggressively defend them.
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