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AFGE Activist,

In the latest attack on the rights of federal workers, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has asked the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to issue a policy statement that would undermine union security.  

AFGE needs you to act by submitting comments opposing this attempt to destroy the union. Any person may submit comments to the FLRA. To assist you in drafting your comments, we have created a template that will be emailed directly to the FLRA.

Click here to load the draft comment below into an email to the FLRA. You can also copy and paste the text below into an email. Be sure to use the sender email address and subject line shown below. Only comments sent with to this email address and subject line will be counted.

Or copy and paste the information below into an email:

To: [email protected]
Subject: Office of Personnel Management (Petitioner), Case No. 0-PS-34

I oppose the FLRA overturning 40 years of precedent by making a policy statement as requested by OPM. This request by OPM is just a thinly veiled attempt to continue the assault against unions and union security. OPM and FLRA have no business interfering with the long-standing agreements between unions and employing agencies as to the administration of union dues deductions. Congress clearly intended to allow unions to bargain dues deduction procedures with agencies. FLRA should not be a pawn of the anti-union motivations of OPM in an attempt to interfere with the bargaining relationship between unions and agencies. FLRA should only address this issue through facts of a particular case if one is brought before it for a decision. I support the rights of federal employees to have union representation and the rights of unions to bargain dues deduction matters directly with employing agencies. I believe that FLRA should not issue a policy statement or guidance as requested by OPM.
[Signed with your name.}

You may also mail or hand deliver your comments using the information below:

Mail and hand delivery go to:

Emily Sloop, Chief
Case Intake and Publication
Federal Labor Relations Authority, Docket Room
1400 K Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20424-0001

Comments must be received by the FLRA no later than Monday, August 12, 2019.

Here's more information about this important issue.

The FLRA has always held that union membership in the federal sector is for a one year period.  Since the statute governing federal sector labor relations was passed in 1979, employees have had the opportunity to join the union at any time they wish and stop their membership every year during a period of time agreed upon by the union and the agency where the employee works.

OPM is now seeking to interfere with these negotiated agreements between the union and the employing agency by citing to a recent Supreme Court case [ Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, 138 S. Ct. 2448 (2018)] and claiming that this case (which had nothing to do with federal employees) should override the negotiated agreements between the union and the employing agency.

OPM’s intention is to undermine union security by claiming that the Janus case should mean that employees may leave the union at any time after an initial one year period. This claim is contrary to the law—the FLRA specifically rejected this interpretation of the law in a case decision in 1981. Clearly, this move by OPM to change 40 years of precedent is an attack against unions and has political motivations that are designed to eliminate unions in the federal government at a time when the work of many agencies are under unprecedented attack.

Your action on this important issue can help save the security of our union. Join me in submitting a comment today!

In Solidarity,

J. David Cox Sr.
AFGE National President

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