Trump’s move to cancel recent union agreements with federal workers has left many of his voters in shock
Late on Friday, President Donald Trump declared his intention to cancel federal employee union contracts that were agreed upon by agencies during the final days of former President Joe Biden’s term. In a memo directed to agency heads, Trump accused Biden’s officials of negotiating collective bargaining agreements designed “to harm my Administration,” particularly by undermining his mandate upon returning to office. He specifically referenced a contract ratified with the Education Department just days before he took office.
Trump argued that such last-minute, lame-duck collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), which aim to bind a new president to the outgoing administration’s policies, are contrary to the principles of America’s democratic system of self-governance.
The memo, however, did not clarify the legal basis for Trump’s decision to annul the existing union contracts. He cited a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that stated a president “cannot choose to bind his successors by diminishing their powers.”
“Therefore, it is the policy of the executive branch,” Trump stated, “that contracts negotiated within 30 days prior to a presidential inauguration ‘shall not be approved.’” He clarified that contracts involving federal law enforcement would be excluded from this directive.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing approximately 800,000 workers, responded by claiming that Trump would be violating legally binding contracts. The union described this move as an attempt to “frighten and confuse career federal employees.” “Federal employees should know that approved union contracts are enforceable by law, and the president does not have the authority to make unilateral changes to those agreements,” stated Everett Kelley, AFGE’s president. “AFGE members will not be intimidated. If our contracts are violated, we will aggressively defend them.”
Last year, unions at several federal agencies made a concerted effort to negotiate new contracts ahead of the Trump administration’s arrival, aiming to lock in protections. Trump had previously promised mass layoffs, weakened job protections, and an end to remote work arrangements, which many federal employees have enjoyed for years.
HuffPost reported on the Federal Trade Commission negotiations, where attorneys, economists, and statisticians secured a temporary contract right before Trump appointed a new Republican chair. These last-minute agreements seem to be exactly the kind Trump wants to undo early in his presidency.
