WASHINGTON — The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 300,000 Department of Defense (DOD) employees, issued a scathing response today following a memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directing the termination of all collective bargaining agreements between the department and the union.

This latest move is being characterized by union leadership as a direct escalation of the administration’s ongoing efforts to dismantle federal labor protections.

A Pattern of “Unlawful Retaliation”

The directive follows the precedent set last year by Executive Order 14251, which cited national security concerns as the basis for stripping union rights from over one million federal workers. AFGE leadership argues that Secretary Hegseth’s memo is not a matter of security, but a targeted attack on the civil service.

“Secretary Hegseth’s decision… is a cowardly continuation of this administration’s unlawful attack on federal employees’ First Amendment right to belong to a union,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley.

Impact on Veterans and the Mission

President Kelley, a 30-year DOD veteran himself, emphasized that a significant portion of the civilian workforce consists of veterans who continue their service to the nation in these roles. The union argues that silencing these workers’ voices undermines military readiness rather than strengthening it.

Key points from the AFGE response:

• Contradictory Timing: The union noted the irony of “ripping up contracts” immediately following a successful Middle East ceasefire, arguing that the employees being targeted are the very ones who supported those efforts.
• Historical Context: AFGE has maintained bargaining rights for 50 years, spanning multiple wars, a global pandemic, and the recent conflict with Iran.
• Legal Standing: The union maintains that the administration’s use of “national security” as a blanket justification is legally flawed and intended solely to silence workers.