Texas AFL-CIO Calls on All Texas Members of Congress to Support the Protect America’s Workforce Act
TEXAS – Today, the Texas AFL-CIO released the following statement after the discharge petition on the Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550) reached 218 signatures, mandating the U.S. House of Representatives vote on restoring union rights to federal workers within seven legislative days.
“Forcing this vote is a historic win for the labor movement and every federal worker,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Rick Levy. “Texas is home to more than 130,000 federal employees who have faced constant attacks from the Trump Administration. We call on every Texas member of Congress to side with workers, demonstrate a commitment to your constituents, and support the Protect America’s Workforce Act.”
“The labor movement fought back against the largest act of union-busting in American history by doing what we do best: organizing. Working people built a bipartisan coalition to restore union rights to federal workers in the face of unprecedented attacks on our freedoms. We commend every Democrat and Republican who signed the discharge petition to bring the Protect America’s Workforce Act to a vote, but the fight isn’t over,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “Speaker Johnson has run out of excuses to delay a vote on this legislation to restore federal workers’ rights. It’s time to bring the Protect America’s Workforce Act to a vote and restore federal workers’ right to collectively bargain and have a voice on the job.”
“An independent, apolitical civil service is one of the bedrocks of American democracy,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “This week, lawmakers stood up together to defend that principle and to affirm that federal workers must retain their right to collective bargaining. This is what leadership looks like.”
On March 27, President Trump signed an executive order that ripped the right to collectively bargain away from hundreds of thousands of federal workers. This was the single biggest act of union-busting in American history.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act, bipartisanly introduced by Reps. Jared Golden (ME-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), reverses President Trump’s executive order. On Monday, with signatures from Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Nick LaLota (NY-01), the bill is now guaranteed a vote on the House floor. If it passes, the bill would be the first legislation to directly overturn a Trump Administration executive order in this term.
More than 70% of Americans—Democrats, Republicans and Independents—support unions. Texas is home to the third-most federal workers in the country (behind California and DC), and the highest number of American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) members. Rep. Tony Gonzales’ district, TX-23, is home to more federal employees than any other congressional district in the state.
The discharge petition was signed by every Texas Democrat and not a single Texas Republican. Signers include Reps. Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Sylvia R. Garcia (TX-29), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Al Green (TX-09), Julie Johnson (TX-32), and Marc A. Veasey (TX-33).
The Texas AFL-CIO calls on all Texas members of Congress to support the bipartisan, common sense Protect America’s Workforce Act when it hits the floor.
Labor union statements:
AFL-CIO: Labor Movement Achieves Bipartisan Majority, Forces Vote to Restore Federal Workers’ Union Rights
AFGE: Bipartisan House Coalition Hits 218 Signatures to Force Vote Protecting Federal Workers’ Union Rights
National Nurses United (NNU): NNU demands House stand up for workers and call a vote on the Protect America’s Workforce Act
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The Texas AFL-CIO is the state labor federation consisting of more than 250,000 affiliated union members and advocates for working people in Texas. Learn more at texasaflcio.org