Statement of APWU President Mark Dimondstein on New Executive Order Attacking Workers' Rights

Workers and their unions are under attack with a new executive order issued by President Trump stripping the union rights of nearly a million federal workers. Trump’s executive order abolishes existing union contracts, eliminates collective bargaining rights, orders agencies to stop processing grievances, and prohibits payroll union dues collection.

Wrapped in the bogus guise of “national security concerns,” this is the most serious attack on unionized workers in this country in at least a generation.

The President of the United States claimed during the recent election to be a friend of working people. No “friend” of working people would take action to destroy, rather than uplift, unions and workers’ rights.

This executive order is part of an ongoing assault on all workers, and our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and association. Make no mistake, postal workers will not be spared from this Administration and their billionaire benefactors’ war on workers.

These dictatorial actions, with no respect for the law, come right out of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party’s playbook. Shortly after coming to power in 1933, the Nazis launched an assault on the independent trade union movement, dissolving unions, seizing union funds, and beating, imprisoning, and murdering union leaders.

Working people and our unions must face the seriousness of these attacks with our weapons of solidarity and action. President Trump has made his intentions clear – he is out to destroy the labor movement. Now is the time for every worker to stand up and fight back!

Our sisters and brothers at AFGE, the largest federal union, are urging every worker to take action today. Call your members of Congress at 817-904-8624 and urge them to stop this attack on working people. Digital actions are available at mobilize.us/afge

Stay tuned for more actions and demonstrations to come.