The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued guidances Oct. 20 prompting federal agencies to inform job applicants, new hires and current federal workers about unions representing federal employees. The actions are intended to boost union membership in the federal workforce. We've gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other media outlets.
Two Guidances Issued
In one guidance, OPM urged agencies to inform prospective employees and new hires about the collective bargaining status and union affiliation associated with each position, and include that information in job announcements. In another guidance, agencies were prompted to remind current employees of their rights under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Act quarterly or twice a year. That information should explain how employees can become active-duty union members. Federal employees don't have to be dues-paying members, but federal unions must represent everyone in the bargaining unit.
Employees Will Be Informed About Unions
"Not all employees may realize they are included in a bargaining unit or know how to contact their union representative," a White House official said in a statement. "To facilitate consistent understanding of employee rights, OPM is releasing guidance to federal agencies to enhance communications by agencies to federal employees about their right to join a union and the ways they can engage with their union."
(The Hill)
Vice President, OPM Director Promote Initiatives
Vice President Kamala Harris and OPM Director Kiran Ahuja participated in a discussion with federal workers at the announcement of the new guidances. They described the measures as among the first steps to implement an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in April that instructed the federal government to encourage collective bargaining.
White House Task Force Seeks to Increase Unionization
The president signed an executive order on April 26 to establish a White House task force to boost unionization. The task force is examining how existing policies, programs and practices can be used to promote worker organizing and collective bargaining in the federal government, and is charged with considering what new policies and regulatory and statutory changes are needed.
(SHRM Online)
Impact on Federal Government
The federal government is the largest employer in the country. The new measures will affect 2.1 million nonpostal federal employees and be overseen by OPM.
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