The House of Representatives has passed a bill to restore union rights to federal workers, moving to overturn an executive order that stripped workers of their collective bargaining rights earlier this year. The Protect America’s Workforce Act was passed on December 11, 2025, gaining bipartisan support despite considerable opposition. The progress made towards nullifying existing anti-union EOs marks a big victory for workers, but the act still faces obstacles in the Senate, where another decision will have to be made to further ratify its enforcement within the federal workforce.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act has received bipartisan support from the House, taking us closer towards restoring union rights for federal agencies. (Image: Pexels)
The House Has Passed a Bill to Restore Union Rights to Federal Workers
The Protect America’s Workforce Act (H.R. 2550) is a new bipartisan bill that was introduced by Representatives Jared Golden and Brian Fitzpatrick, and advanced to the floor via a discharge petition to speed up the process. The act was introduced as a response to prior executive orders that had stripped federal workers of their collective bargaining rights.
The initial executive order was released on March 27 and invoked a provision of the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act, which allowed for exceptions in union and collective bargaining rights for “agencies or units within an agency which has as a primary function intelligence, investigative, or national security work.”
The decision was made to eliminate union protections on the grounds that it was an obstruction to the president’s agenda and presented a threat to national security. The initial order impacted around 40 federal agencies. The order didn’t just dissolve collective bargaining rights but also voided existing union contracts as well. A second nullifying anti-union EO was released in August, extending the order to a wider range of agencies, including NASA.
What Is the Public Reaction to the Protect America’s Workforce Act?
The representatives who brought the bill to life were understandably excited to see the bipartisan support and the House’s response to the bill to restore union rights. Fitzpatrick wrote on Twitter/X, that this outcome “restores something fundamental: the right of public servants to be heard, respected, and represented in their workplace.” She also called on the Senate to “finish the job.”
Labor groups have reacted positively to the union bill making it past the House of Representatives. The American Federation of Government Employees applauded the move, with its National President Everett Kelley stating, “By voting to approve the Protect America’s Workforce Act, 231 members of Congress have demonstrated their support for the nonpartisan civil service, for the dedicated employees who serve our country with honor and distinction, and for the critical role that collective bargaining has in fostering a safe, protective, and collaborative workplace.”
The conversation online has been similarly congratulatory, with workers celebrating the decision and the solidarity between the two parties on the matter. Despite this, many remain unsure if the union rights bill will similarly pass through the Senate without a hitch.
The Federal Union Rights Bill Will Now Head to the Senate
Now that the House has voted 231-to-195 in favor of the bill to restore union rights to federal workers, the matter will go to the Senate. Many decision-makers remain on the fence about nullifying the anti-union EOs among federal workers, returning to the data that shows that federal employees spent over 3 million work hours in 2024 addressing union issues alone, costing over $200 million.
The opposition argues that, despite the significant amount of time spent on union activities, federal employees perform a total of 4.4 billion hours of work each year, with their union business accounting for only 0.069% of their work. Both sides continue to hold a firm stance on whether federal union bargaining rights should be restored to workers, and it’s unclear which side will emerge victorious.
Fitzpatrick made a case for the return of union representation, stating that “By restoring their collective bargaining rights, we strengthen a system that keeps the government effective, stable and responsive, all without compromising security or mission readiness.”
Liz Shuler, the president of the AFL-CIO, expressed optimism regarding the passing of the bill: “As we turn to the Senate—where the bill already has bipartisan support—working people are calling on the politicians we elected to stand with us, even if it means standing up to the union-busting boss in the White House.” The fate of these federal agencies and their union rights now hangs in the balance.
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