Several labor leaders commended President Biden's policies around collective bargaining and his bolstering of agencies and offices like the Federal Labor Relations Authority. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images
Unions applaud ‘most pro-union president in history’ following Biden’s decision to end campaign
Labor leaders said their goal remains to defeat Trump’s bid to return to the White House next year.
A bevy of federal labor leaders on Sunday expressed gratitude for President Biden’s career of public service in defense of the federal workforce in the hours following Biden’s announcement that he will bow out of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Dogged by concerns about his continued fitness for office for another four years, fueled by a calamitous presidential debate performance last month, Biden said that he would continue to serve until his term ends next January. He quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, and she appears to be the presumptive nominee, as the Democratic party quickly rallied around her Monday.
As president, Biden instituted reforms aimed at rebuilding the federal workforce, both increasing recruitment at federal agencies and restoring rights taken away during Trump’s first term in office. Shortly after taking office, he rescinded Schedule F, an abortive—though not abandoned—effort to reclassify tens of thousands of federal employees in policy-related jobs into the government’s excepted service, effectively making them at-will employees.
And he reversed course on the Trump administration’s scorched earth approach to collective bargaining, restoring unions’ access to official time, office space at federal facilities and mandating that federal agencies adopt a “permissive” approach to bargaining, requiring them to negotiate with labor groups on traditionally non-mandatory bargaining topics.
In a statement, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers National President Matt Biggs reiterated a common refrain under Biden—that he is the most pro-labor president in recent memory.
“There are no words to express our gratitude and appreciation for President Biden’s lifelong fight for the middle class and for those who are too often left behind in today’s global economy,” said Biggs, whose union represents a mix of federal, state and local workers as well as some private sector employees. “As a senator, vice president, president, father, grandfather and husband, Joe Biden never forgot his roots and never compromised on his commitment to our labor movement and the millions of working families we represent. He is already the most pro-union, pro-worker president in our nation’s history, and we know he is far from finished contributing to our nation.”
American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said that although his union already endorsed Biden for reelection, it is ready to fight on behalf of another Democratic nominee this fall, given Trump’s plans to revive Schedule F if elected again.
“When our country, our government, our union and the world needed him most, [Biden] stepped up and led us away from the precipice of a dark future,” Kelley said. “He is an American hero, and we will forever be in his debt . . . Throughout AFGE’s presidential endorsement process, and in the many months since, AFGE members have made clear that their priority in 2024 is defeating Donald Trump and stopping anti-worker efforts like Project 2025. Another Trump administration would be a threat to our democracy, our rights and our freedoms.”
And Randy Erwin, national president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, lauded Biden’s efforts to rend Trump’s policies from federal civil service rules and boost the pay of federal workers, particularly federal wildland firefighters.
“From Day One in office, President Biden immediately rescinded anti-worker executive orders and policies at federal agencies implemented by the former administration,” Erwin said. “He restored labor-management forums, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and promoted union organizing and worker empowerment across the federal government. He ensured that the Office of Personnel Management passed regulations to protect the civil service from political corruption. He significantly raised pay for federal wildland firefighters and established a higher minimum wage for all federal employees . . . Thank you to President Biden for his commitment to working people and federal employees.”
"Throughout his tenure as senator, vice president and president, Joe Biden consistently championed the essential role of the nonpartisan civil service," said Doreen Greenwald, national president of the National Treasury Employees Union. "His presidency has been marked by actions that have fortified the workforce and the unions that represent them. In his first week in office, President Biden repealed the anti-worker, anti-union and 'Schedule F' executive orders. The Biden-Harris administration has taken action to increase labor union membership and protect the civil service to ensure federal employees can carry out their duties without fear of political reprisal. President Biden showed his commitment to the federal workforce, including the need for competitive pay to attract and retain talent within the federal workforce."