Today, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Wowkanech issued the following statement on President Trump’s executive order that strips virtually all federal workers of their collective bargaining rights:
“By issuing this Executive Order, the Trump administration has openly engaged in a retaliatory attack on the fundamental rights of 700,000 workers across the federal government at more than 30 agencies. This is not just an attack on federal workers, but an attack on the entire labor movement.
While this attack on union members is unprecedented, it is unsurprising that President Trump has resorted to bullying unions for their refusal to stay silent as he continues to indiscriminately fire tens of thousands of their rank-and file members. His disdain for union members has been made clear from day one, and his intention to strip union members of their rights was plainly stated in his Project 2025 Agenda.
This is a clear act of intimidation that we will refuse to accept. We cannot allow the rights that people have fought and died for be wiped away by the stroke of a pen. We will not tolerate attempts to prevent our members from exercising their rights to hold their government accountable, seek redress in the courts, and to enforce contracts, without fear of retaliation.
This recent attack provides us with a grim forecast for the future of the labor movement if President Trump is allowed to continue on his union-busting campaign. The rights of all union members could soon be jeopardized.
The right to collectively bargain is a defining issue of basic human rights. On behalf of all of our rank-and file-members, we call upon our legislators to uphold the commitments they have made to working families in preserving these fundamental freedoms and stand in support of all union members. It’s time to draw a line in the sand between those who will work to protect our democracy and those who have sided with the union-busting Trump administration. We can no longer support legislators who remain silent on these issues, or who have chosen to turn their backs on working families.”