Trump accused of union-busting at Voice of America

The logo of Voice of America. (Courtesy logo, Graphic by The Desk)

Key Points:

AFGE and AFSCME are suing President Trump and the USAGM over an executive order revoking collective bargaining rights at Voice of America.
The lawsuit claims the August 28 order was retaliation for unions’ litigation and grievances opposing the agency’s dismantlement.
USAGM canceled union contracts on August 29 and issued more than 500 termination notices on shortened timelines.

Two unions representing workers at the Voice of America (VOA) and its parent organization have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of union-busting at the government-backed media outlets.

In a complaint filed in federal court on Friday, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) accused President Donald Trump, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) and acting CEO Kari Lake of eliminating collective bargaining rights covering workers at VOA and other broadcasters overseen by USAGM.

In its lawsuit, the unions accuse Lake of restarting layoffs and breaking USAGM’s collective bargaining agreement last month. The move was intended to stifle free speech and expression, and to prevent covered employees from filing grievances with the union once their jobs were eliminated.

VOA journalists and technical staff have long been represented by AFGE Local 1812 and AFSCME Local 1418, which negotiated collective bargaining agreements providing workplace protections, grievance processes and procedures governing reductions in force. According to the complaint, those contracts were rescinded by USAGM on August 29 and more than 500 employees received notices of termination on an accelerated timeline.

The unions argue the action followed a series of legal setbacks for the administration.

In April, a federal court issued an injunction requiring VOA programming to be restored after USAGM suspended operations. On August 25, the same court ordered Lake and other officials to sit for depositions over the agency’s compliance. Three days later, Trump issued an executive order expanding exemptions from federal collective bargaining law to include USAGM.

The lawsuit further claims the administration has improperly used “national security” as a justification to revoke statutory bargaining rights, even though Congress established a firewall ensuring VOA’s editorial independence from political influence.

The unions are asking the court to declare the August 28 executive order unlawful, reinstate the collective bargaining agreements, and block further enforcement of the order.

“The dedicated professionals at Voice of America and USAGM have made it their life’s work to champion free press and deliver the truth — even to the world’s most oppressive regimes,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders said in a statement emailed to The Desk on Friday. “When their own government sought to undermine this vital mission, they stood firm, not only to protect free speech for themselves, but for everyone.”

Saunders continued: “Now, in a blatant attempt to silence them, the administration has stripped away their freedom to collectively bargain and illegally tore up their union contracts — contracts that safeguard their jobs, livelihoods and their voices. This executive action is a clear act of retaliation, aimed at punishing workers who refuse to let the Voice of America be silenced. We will not stand by and let this administration continue to trample on our constitutional freedoms.”

“From suppressing Americans protesting his policies to targeting news outlets and late-night talk show hosts over unfavorable coverage, President Trump has a documented history of trying to silence the free speech rights that are a cornerstone of our constitution and our democracy,” said Everett Kelley, the National President of AFGE. “Now his administration is going after working journalists at Voice of American and USAGM by stripping away their right to organize and speak up without fear of retaliation,” Kelley said. “Revoking these workers’ union rights is a clear attempt to chill their speech and weaken their independent reporting – and it’s a warning to federal workers at other agencies that they could be next.”

—

Read more: