PASS, Federal Labor Coalition, Call on Office of Special Counsel to Protect Employees
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- Published: June 19, 2018
The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO today joined a coalition of federal employee unions to send a letter to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) expressing concern that one of the executive orders issued by the White House in late May could trigger retaliation against labor relations professionals at federal agencies who attempt to bargain in good faith with employee representatives.
The executive order in question creates an inter-agency labor relations working group and gives agencies directions to undermine employee rights while negotiating collective bargaining agreements. The coalition points out to Special Counsel Henry Kerner that collective bargaining has been enshrined in law since the passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and is outlined in the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations (FSLMR) Statute.
However, “We believe the administration, through its executive orders and other actions, is violating the law and asking individual agencies and components to also violate clearly established law,” the unions wrote. “This will require civil servants, who are labor relations professionals, to carry out orders that violate federal statute.”
The group asks the OSC to be proactive in investigating any retaliation taken against these labor relations professionals and to remind all federal employees that they have whistleblower rights and can contact the Inspector General or the OSC to complain about improper pressure being applied by administration officials.
PASS will continue to fight for and protect the rights of its members at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD) as they stay focused on their mission of protecting the flying public.