🏛️ AFGE Scores Big Win: Parliamentarian Drops GOP Changes to Civil Service Protections

In a major boost for federal employees, the Senate parliamentarian has removed key anti-worker provisions from the GOP reconciliation bill—following pressure from AFGE and allied unions  .

These dropped provisions included:

• Forcing new hires to choose between at-will employment with fewer protections or paying a steep 5–10 % pension surcharge
• Fees on official time and union use of agency space, designed to drain union resources
• A $100 million reorganization fund, permitting OMB to plan widespread agency restructuring and layoffs

AFGE’s careful outreach to senators—including Tim Kaine, Chris Van Hollen, Gary Peters, Angela Alsobrooks, and Richard Blumenthal—helped point out these were pure policy moves, not budgetary, meaning they couldn’t pass under Senate rules  .

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What this means for Local 2328 members:

• A nationwide campaign helped preserve foundational civil service protections, safeguarding careers in the VA and beyond.
• A remaining provision on dues withholding fees still needs scrutiny—but AFGE’s early push to transition locals to e‑dues provides resilience.
• Union vigilance paid off—and now Washington is watching to ensure protections stick during final Senate reconciliation.

📎 Read the full AFGE statement