On Thursday, President Donald signed an executive order claiming to outlaw collective bargaining for nearly a million federal workers, citing a little-used provision of federal labor law relating to national security issues, according to a news release from the Maine AFL-CIO.

The release follows:

"The President claims he is authorized by a rarely-used provision in the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act to exclude federal agencies from collective bargaining rights if the rules “cannot be applied to that agency or subdivision in a manner consistent with national security requirements.” The President’s edict eliminates collective bargaining for nearly 75 percent of federal workers who are currently represented by unions, according to Government Executive.

"Specifically, the executive order illegally terminates union contracts for workers at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the Togus VA Medical Center, the Defense Financing Accounting Services (DFAS) in Limestone, SUPSHIP Bath at BIW and other federal workplaces in Maine.

“The Portsmouth Metal Trades Council stands in strong opposition to the executive orders and memo from the Office of Personnel eliminating collective bargaining rights for a large portion of our federal workforce,” said Alana Schaeffer, President of the Metal Trades Council. “For decades, collective bargaining has provided a structured and effective mechanism for federal employees to negotiate issues of workplace safety, effective training, and working conditions, as well as advocating for competitive wages with the private sector, ensuring a stable and motivated workforce. The direct assault on dedicated public servants by stripping these rights is grossly undermining the essential role that labor unions play in advocating for employees and protecting them from unfair and inequitable treatment.”

"Schaeffer continued, “The assault on federal workers’ collective bargaining rights will lead to workforce instability, increased turnover, and difficulty in retaining experienced personnel as well as affect the morale of our workforce.  An unstable, weakened workforce due to a loss of these rights will gravely impact national security.  The Portsmouth Metal Trades Council stands strong in our support of the tradesworkers we represent and their rights to collectively bargain.”

“Straight out of Project 2025, this Executive Order is union busting. It is an attack on workers’ fundamental rights and our freedom of speech and association. Workers in Maine who care for our veterans, service our submarines, make sure our food is safe to eat and much more will no longer have a legal right to organize with their co-workers for better conditions to deliver the best services possible,” said Matt Schlobohm, Executive Director of the Maine AFL-CIO. “We stand in solidarity with our federal union family, a third of whom are military veterans.  We will not stand by as our rights are illegally stripped away and our democratic institutions are dismantled by executive fiat.  We will fight this with everything we have. "

"The following agencies and subdivisions are impacted by Trump's March 27, 2025 Executive Order:

• The Department of Defense
• The Department of State
• The Department of the Treasury (except the Bureau of Engraving and Printing)
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• The Department of Justice (except certain components of the U.S. Marshals Service)

"Subdivisions of the Department of Homeland Security:

• Departmental Headquarters components
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• U.S. Coast Guard
• Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

"Subdivisions of the Department of Health and Human Services:

• Office of the Secretary
• Office of the General Counsel
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health
• Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families
• The Department of Energy (except the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)

"Subdivisions of the Department of the Interior:

• Office of the Secretary
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 

"Subdivisions of the Department of Agriculture: 

• Food Safety and Inspection Service
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• The International Trade Administration (Department of Commerce)
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
• The National Science Foundation (NSF)
• The International Trade Commission
• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• The General Services Administration (GSA)

"Chief Information Officer (CIO) Offices:

• CIO office in each Executive department
• CIO offices at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Social Security Administration (SSA)
• Any other agency or subdivision where information resources management is the primary duty 

"Fast Facts: Federal Sector Collective Bargaining

1. Federal unions cannot negotiate over pay, benefits, or hiring/firing decisions.

• Unlike private-sector unions, federal unions are limited to bargaining over conditions of employment—not wages, benefits, or classifications, which are set by law and Congress.

1. **Federal employees are prohibited by law from striking.

• Under 5 U.S.C. § 7311, federal workers are legally barred from striking, and doing so can result in termination and a ban from federal employment.

1. Nearly one-third of federal employees are veterans.

• Many federal workers are former service members who bring leadership, discipline, and mission commitment to their civilian roles. Stripping their bargaining rights is a betrayal of that service.

1. Collective bargaining is governed by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978.

• This bipartisan law created a structured process for federal workers to address workplace issues without disrupting government operations.

1. Unions improve agency performance—not hinder it.

• Collective bargaining helps resolve conflicts early, reduces costly litigation, improves retention, and boosts morale—all of which support better public service.

1. Removing bargaining rights opens the door to abuse.

• Without union representation, employees—especially whistleblowers and veterans—lose vital protections from retaliation and political interference.

1. Federal unionism has broad historical support.

• Presidents from both parties—Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama—have upheld the right of federal workers to union representation."