USDA moves to end union contracts for inspectors

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has moved to terminate union contracts with thousands of employees in its animal health and food safety inspection agencies, according to documents seen by Reuters. The notices, sent to union leaders at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Tuesday evening, state that the action aligns with President Donald Trump’s March executive order to exclude some federal workers from collective bargaining on the basis that their agencies have national security missions.

The Trump administration has taken similar steps to end union contracts at the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs, and other agencies under the same executive order. A USDA spokesperson said, “USDA is optimizing our workforce and returning the Department to a customer service-focused, farmer-first agency. This move will allow us to be much more nimble as well as an attractive employer.”

Approximately 6,500 food and consumer safety inspectors at FSIS were covered by the terminated collective bargaining agreement, according to Paula Soldner, chairperson of the National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals, part of the American Federation of Government Employees. FSIS inspectors assess meat, poultry, and egg products to monitor quality and prevent foodborne illness.

Soldner noted that the termination increases uncertainty for employees as the administration works to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The National Association of Agriculture Employees (NAAE) stated that about 1,500 APHIS employees who inspect plants for pests and diseases will be affected by the termination of their bargaining agreement. The NAAE filed a lawsuit on Wednesday challenging the action, arguing that the work is unrelated to national security.

At least another 150 APHIS employees in a second agency union will also be impacted, according to a source familiar with the situation. A federal appeals court on August 1 lifted an injunction that had prevented agencies from implementing the executive order. The USDA has seen a reduction of more than 15,000 employees since January through terminations or financial incentives to leave, including over 500 at FSIS and 1,300 at APHIS.

Source: Reuters

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