Economy

Nearly 80,000 federal employees joined unions in a year, White House says

Nearly 80,000 federal employees have joined unions over the past year, according to a White House task force led by Vice President Kamala Harris and other senior officials.

The task force, which was announced by President Joe Biden in March 2021, was created with the goal of reversing a long-term decline in union membership among federal workers. The task force's report, released today, shows that the number of federal employees in unions has grown by nearly 80,000 since March 2020, a significant increase compared to the previous year.

The report credits the Biden administration's efforts to boost union membership among federal employees, including executive orders signed in March 2021 that reversed former President Donald Trump's anti-union policies and allowed federal employees to join unions without fear of retribution.

The report also highlights the importance of collective bargaining for federal workers and notes that unions help ensure fair and equitable wages and working conditions.

The task force recommends that the federal government continue to work with unions to ensure that workers are treated fairly and that federal policies support the right to unionize. The task force also calls for more training and resources for federal managers, who it says must be held accountable for any violations of labor law.

The report comes at a time when unions are facing increasing challenges from corporate interests and conservative lawmakers. While the Biden administration has made efforts to protect and bolster union rights, the report acknowledges that there is still much work to be done to ensure labor rights for all workers.