Diplomats’ union urges new Congress to restore federal bargaining rights

WASHINGTON — The union representing U.S. diplomats is urging the incoming Congress to make restoring collective bargaining rights for federal employees one of its first orders of business in January.

The American Foreign Service Association, the professional association and labor union for members of the U.S. Foreign Service, made the appeal in a statement released Nov. 5, two days after the midterm elections.

“Restoring workers’ rights belongs at the top of the new Congressional agenda,” AFSA President John Dinkelman said. “America’s diplomats negotiate for our country every day. They deserve a voice in their own workplace.”

The group pointed to executive orders that stripped many federal employees of their collective bargaining rights. It called on lawmakers to reintroduce and pass the Protect America’s Workforce Act in both chambers, saying the bill’s bipartisan passage in the current House shows that support for the measure crosses party lines.

AFSA also asked Congress to conduct oversight of the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development and of reductions in force at the State Department, and to provide remedies for employees affected by those actions. The association said career employees should be protected from political retaliation.

The statement said Foreign Service families are facing upheaval, especially after the outbreak of war with Iran, and noted the possibility of further evacuations.

“Some of our families face another evacuation just as they get their children settled back in school,” Dinkelman said.

He also described the frustration of diplomats who lost their positions. “Imagine being told your service is no longer needed while watching the need for your work grow,” he said.

The Protect America’s Workforce Act would need to be reintroduced in the new Congress, which convenes in January, because pending bills expire at the end of each two-year session.

This report is based on information from the American Foreign Service Association.

Source: American Foreign Service Association