by Adam Pack
Republican Senator Utah Mike Lee and the Republican Republican Ben Cline will introduce legislation on Monday to prevent government employees from engaging in a relationship related to a union during a clock.
Lee and Cline’s No Union Time on the Act on the taxpayer’s district would end the practice of “official time” – repayment of time devoted to federal employees to perform trade union duties during working hours and the utilize of government office space. This practice costs Taxpayers over $ 100 million a year, according to data from the staff office at the White House (OPM).
“The American taxpayer should not be obliged to pay to federal employees for engaging in trade union activities”, in accordance with information sheet Lee’s office sent DCNF.
The re -introduction of the law appears when President Donald Trump tries to end collective negotiations for the immense majority of government employees.
Asset signed On March 27, executive ordinance to complete the representation of federal employees with missions related to national security, including the Department of Defense, the Internal Security Department, the Department of State and the Department of Energy. This movement will end the rights of collective negotiations for over a million federal employees, According to to the American Federation of Government Workers.
“President Trump supports constructive partnerships with the relationships that work with him; he will not tolerate a mass obstacle that threatens his ability to manage agencies with necessary national security missions,” said the White House information sheet on the executive board.
OPM in March resumed Tracking how much time and money federal employees spend on activities related to the union in February after a four -year break during the term of the former president Joe Biden.
Office found Federal employees spent 2.6 million hours at the official time, costing American taxpayers at least $ 135 million in 2019.
“American taxpayers should not finance the organization of the Union, and federal employees should work full -time for the American people when they are on the watch,” Lee said in DCNF’s statement.
“Ending” official time “is a keeping step to ensure responsibly dollars of taxpayers and increase liability in all working strength,” said Cline for DCNF. “Public funds should serve the American nation, not private trade union interests.”
Lee and the former Republican Republican of North Carolina Dan Bishop, the current deputy director of the White House Management and Budget Office, introduced the rules during the 118th Congress in July 2024. None of them was promoted to vote in the Chamber or Senate.
Republican Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and the Republican Republican Scott Perry presented similar regulations in March to force government unions to refund taxpayers for the utilize of federal employees, DCNF, the first DCNF for the official time Reported.
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Adam Pack is a reporter at the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Mike Lee” by Mike Lee.
