Arnold Scott, National Vice President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing attacks on federal workers, particularly at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the administration's attempts to strip union rights and AFGE's efforts to fight back through legal action and advocacy.
Scott began by discussing the Republican members of Congress and the Trump administration's attempts to cut 80,000 employees from the VA, representing about 15 percent of its workforce. This move, part of the Fiscal Year 2026 funding bill, was opposed by Democratic committee members who attempted to remove the mass reduction in workforce. Scott emphasized that these cuts would severely impact veteran care and benefits, with an estimated 20,000 affected employees being veterans.
Next, Scott explained why the labor unions representing federal workers are suing the Trump administration over executive orders that aim to strip more than a million federal workers of their union rights. The lawsuit alleges that these actions are retaliatory attempts to punish unions engaged in constitutionally protected activities, he said. Scott highlighted the administration's overuse of national security exemptions to eliminate collective bargaining rights for workers whose primary functions are unrelated to national security. This would impact agencies like the VA, Environmental Protection Agency and the USDA Food Safety Inspection Services.
Finally, Scott addressed the administration's proposed changes to federal worker pay and rights. He discussed proposals requiring employees to pay 14.4 percent of their salary to retain union rights, or 9 percent to opt out of union representation. Scott emphasized that these unrealistic demands are part of a broader strategy to undermine unions and worker protections. Despite these challenges, he affirmed AFGE's commitment to representing employees and fighting against anti-union legislation through legal action and member advocacy.
Listen to the full episode above for more from Scott on federal workers' challenges and AFGE's strategies to protect their rights.