Matt Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss provisions in the U.S. Senate's "Big Beautiful Bill," and its impact on federal unions, healthcare access and jobs across various sectors.
Biggs began by saying that the Senate bill aims to cripple federal unions by forcing them to pay for official time to represent members, effectively bankrupting them. This move, along with previous Trump administration executive orders could eliminate unions within the federal government altogether. Biggs explained that federal unions operate under So-Called “Right-To-Work” conditions, requiring them to represent all bargaining unit members, even those who don't pay dues. He said the proposed changes would strip away the official time granted to elected union officers for representation duties, a cornerstone of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act.
Biggs then warned of the potential cuts to healthcare and social services under the Senate bill, with nearly a trillion dollars slashed from Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). He said these cuts could result in 16 million people losing healthcare coverage, primarily affecting vulnerable populations such as seniors and children. Biggs also said that this bill could lead to potential hospital closures, particularly in rural areas, and 2.5 million children losing food assistance. He added that the Economic Policy Institute estimates these cuts could lead to 850,000 job losses across various sectors.
Finally, Biggs discussed how the bill also includes a provision granting sweeping authority to the President to reorganize government agencies for the next decade. He expressed his concern over this unprecedented transfer of power from Congress to the executive branch, potentially allowing for the dismantling of federal agencies. Despite being touted as a cost-saving measure, the bill allocates approximately $100 million to the Office of Management and Budget for implementing these changes. Biggs emphasized that these cuts primarily benefit the wealthy through tax breaks while adding an estimated $2.4 trillion to $4 trillion to the national debt.
Listen to the full episode above to hear more from Biggs about the IFPTE's efforts to protect workers' rights.
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