Major Federal Employee Union to Cut Over Half Its Staff

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    In a significant shift within the realm of federal employee representation, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union for federal employees, has announced plans to lay off over half its staff nationwide. This decision comes in response to financial strains intensified by executive actions under President Donald Trump’s administration.

    The restructuring will see the AFGE reduce its workforce from 355 to approximately 150, which will include cuts to organizers, national representatives, and support staff. The downsizing poses a serious challenge for the union as it continues to oppose significant governmental restructuring under Trump.

    AFGE has been actively involved in legal battles, challenging various measures from mass dismissals of probationary workers to the sharing of sensitive information with the Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Elon Musk. Additionally, the union has been at the forefront of protests and initiatives against such reforms.

    In a statement released after the national executive council ratified the layoff plan, AFGE singled out Trump’s policies as the primary driver of its financial distress, acknowledging the layoffs as a setback, albeit not the end of the union. “We will not be deterred, silenced or intimidated into submission,” the statement affirmed, underscoring the union’s resolve to persist in advocating for civil servants’ rights across courts, legislative arenas, and media platforms.

    According to the White House, AFGE holds excessive sway over federal governance, labeling the union as “hostile.” Recently, Trump issued an order aiming to revoke union rights for about 600,000 of the 800,000 federal workers AFGE represents. This group includes employees from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, in addition to 47,000 Transportation Security Administration workers who previously lost union rights.

    AFGE is contesting these actions in court, citing them as illegal and retaliatory. Following these executive orders, federal agencies have ceased automatic union dues deductions from employee paychecks, further straining the union’s financial resources. Despite a vigorous campaign by AFGE to switch members to electronic bank account withdrawals, a substantial drop in revenue is anticipated.

    The downsizing primarily affects over 100 employees under the national AFGE president’s office, as well as numerous positions within the union’s 12 districts nationwide. The staff reduction is anticipated to severely impact the ability of AFGE’s local branches to serve their members effectively.

    “It’s going to demolish us,” expressed Justin Youngblood, president of an AFGE chapter representing VA hospital workers in Kansas City, Missouri. “That’s going to cut the legs off of AFGE and all of the locals.” Youngblood criticized the union’s leadership for not better anticipating revenue declines during Trump’s tenure.

    This announcement coincides with a recent Kansas City town hall organized by AFGE, where federal employees publicly opposed mass dismissals, reallocations, and disorganized return-to-office mandates implemented during Trump’s renewed term.

    While employees have yet to receive individual layoff notifications, the union previously indicated that permanent job cuts could commence as early as June.