The American Federation of Government Employees and the National Federation of Federal Employees, which are both affiliated with the AFL-CIO, are waging a battle over representing thousands of employees at several major departments and agencies.
In the latest skirmish, AFGE is seeking to represent some 12,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, but NFFE is fighting to protect its turf at the department.
According to AFL-CIO policy, its affiliated unions can't raid each other for members. But last year, NFFE charged that AFGE was going after bargaining unit employees at several agencies where NFFE already represented employees, including the Interior Department, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Bureau of Land Management.
But the AFL-CIO cleared AFGE of wrongdoing because NFFE only became an affiliate of the AFL-CIO when it merged with the International Association of Machinists last year. The merger was not considered fully completed at the time that AFGE filed a petition for elections at the disputed agencies, said Tee Williams, a national organizer for AFGE.
AFGE officials believe NFFE is likely to challenge their move to represent VA employees. NFFE already represents about 3,000 of the 12,000 bargaining unit employees at VA that AFGE has its sights on.
But the recent conclusion that AFGE was not guilty of raiding at the other agencies supports the union's move into the VA, Williams said.
"We're pushing the Federal Labor Relations Authority to move forward with the election because the issue being raised has already been addressed," she said.
AFGE filed a petition with the FLRA seeking an election to represent VA employees on Jan. 27. Now the union is calling for a prompt vote.
"NFFE leaders have been telling VA employees they would never get the chance to vote for our union," said AFGE President Bobby L. Harnage. "Once again, NFFE's leadership is wrong."
"Once again, AFGE is trying to mislead bargaining unit members with ill-informed statements," said NFFE President Richard Brown in response. Still, NFFE cannot discuss the details of the case because the matter is ongoing, an NFFE spokeswoman said.