Update: Florida bill that would have replaced immigrant labor with child labor has died in state senate www.newsweek.com/florida-plan...
12.06.2025 11:59
👍 425
🔁 91
💬 21
📌 15
Update: Florida bill that would have replaced immigrant labor with child labor has died in state senate www.newsweek.com/florida-plan...
Musk’s departure from DOGE doesn’t erase the harm: 260,000 federal workers fired, $135B cost to taxpayers, vital services slashed. Workers fought back and forced accountability. Now, Musk’s access and data handling must be audited, and DOGE must be dismantled.
A screenshot of a post from the Department of Labor that says: “Today, following an in-depth review of the program's outcomes and financial structure, the Department has begun pausing operations at Job Corps centers nationwide and is initiating an orderly transition for students and staff.”
Job Corps prepares students for the workforce by teaching them the skills they need, putting them on the path to good union jobs.
Job Corps students are the future. Pausing the program puts them and future jobs in the trades in jeopardy.
The proposed FY 26 budget has dropped for DOL and **spoiler alert** it's a big FU to workers. The total amount requested is about a 1/3 decrease from current funding levels.
Keep reading for the highlights ...
![YOU HAVE RIGHTS!
What Federal Employees Should Know about Reductions in Force (RIFs)
Your Rights
Generally speaking, for non-SES, executive-branch employees, your agency must:
● Provide 60 day’ advance notice of a RIF (though that can be reduced to 30 days based
on “not reasonably foreseeable circumstances.”) 5 C.F.R. § 351.801.
● For any bargaining-unit employees, provide the union with at least 60 days’ notice of any
RIFs, and more if a collective-bargaining agreement requires it
● Set a “competitive area” defining the organizational unit being cut and a “competitive
level” defining the types of jobs being cut; RIFs must target positions, not people.
● Make a “retention list” that ranks workers based on their tenure, veterans preference,
length of service, performance, and other criteria to decide who is terminated.
● Provide these rights to probationary employees as well as non-probationary employees.
● Provide severance pay: 1 week of pay for years of civilian service, 2 weeks for years >
10, plus an increase if you’re over 40
● Allow employees whose functions are transferred to a different competitive area to
transfer to those jobs
What To Do
● Before RIF Notice: Organize your coworkers, discuss strategies with them, keep your
union informed, download your eOPF folder, and consider what allies you can gather to
fight on your and your coworkers’ behalf.
● When you get a RIF Notice:
○ Ask the person who sent you the RIF notice and your HR representative in
writing for the retention register and check it thoroughly. Here is sample language
that you can use:
■ “Hi, my name is [NAME]. I just received a Reduction in Force notice,
dated [DATE]. Please send me the retention register that the Department
of Labor has compiled that applies to my competitive area and
competitive level immediately, along with any other information to which I
am entitled under 5 C.F.R. Section 351.505.
○ If they don’t give the retention register to you, FOIA it …](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:j7ih5hnishq4ccdmqmb4ot7o/bafkreignwj2v5zstyj6zmlo6lxpklzrirs56txl6qgza5raizhkgyjx5iu@jpeg)
YOU HAVE RIGHTS! What Federal Employees Should Know about Reductions in Force (RIFs) Your Rights Generally speaking, for non-SES, executive-branch employees, your agency must: ● Provide 60 day’ advance notice of a RIF (though that can be reduced to 30 days based on “not reasonably foreseeable circumstances.”) 5 C.F.R. § 351.801. ● For any bargaining-unit employees, provide the union with at least 60 days’ notice of any RIFs, and more if a collective-bargaining agreement requires it ● Set a “competitive area” defining the organizational unit being cut and a “competitive level” defining the types of jobs being cut; RIFs must target positions, not people. ● Make a “retention list” that ranks workers based on their tenure, veterans preference, length of service, performance, and other criteria to decide who is terminated. ● Provide these rights to probationary employees as well as non-probationary employees. ● Provide severance pay: 1 week of pay for years of civilian service, 2 weeks for years > 10, plus an increase if you’re over 40 ● Allow employees whose functions are transferred to a different competitive area to transfer to those jobs What To Do ● Before RIF Notice: Organize your coworkers, discuss strategies with them, keep your union informed, download your eOPF folder, and consider what allies you can gather to fight on your and your coworkers’ behalf. ● When you get a RIF Notice: ○ Ask the person who sent you the RIF notice and your HR representative in writing for the retention register and check it thoroughly. Here is sample language that you can use: ■ “Hi, my name is [NAME]. I just received a Reduction in Force notice, dated [DATE]. Please send me the retention register that the Department of Labor has compiled that applies to my competitive area and competitive level immediately, along with any other information to which I am entitled under 5 C.F.R. Section 351.505. ○ If they don’t give the retention register to you, FOIA it …
![date of [DATE YOU RECEIVED RIF NOTICE] and an effective date of[DATE NOTICE SAYS RIF IS EFFECTIVE]. In particular, I would like to
receive any retention registers compiled for the Reduction in Force for which I received the attached notice. Please provide this information as soon as possible. For bargaining unit employees, file grievances over any failure to inform the union, lack of notice, placing employees on administrative leave without cause, or mistakes in the retention register.
● After RIF Notice: Challenge errors before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
or via union grievance. Continue to come to work if they have RIF’d you unlawfully.
Stay in touch with your colleagues.
Additional Resources
● Reductions in Force (RIFs): An Overview (QR code below)
● Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network (QR code below)
● How to Seek Compensation for Mental Health Conditions caused or aggravated by a
Federal Employer - CFPB Union (QR code below)
YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH!
As long as you speak in your personal capacity about a matter of public concern and your
speech does not interfere with your job, you can generally say what you want. Click the last QR
code above for a presentation explaining federal employee free speech rights.
● Your union representatives](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:j7ih5hnishq4ccdmqmb4ot7o/bafkreihhy4m6oxpikownyvu5mo2bxgvxx6gyx2iuxsuih4qwbipiriltii@jpeg)
date of [DATE YOU RECEIVED RIF NOTICE] and an effective date of[DATE NOTICE SAYS RIF IS EFFECTIVE]. In particular, I would like to receive any retention registers compiled for the Reduction in Force for which I received the attached notice. Please provide this information as soon as possible. For bargaining unit employees, file grievances over any failure to inform the union, lack of notice, placing employees on administrative leave without cause, or mistakes in the retention register. ● After RIF Notice: Challenge errors before the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) or via union grievance. Continue to come to work if they have RIF’d you unlawfully. Stay in touch with your colleagues. Additional Resources ● Reductions in Force (RIFs): An Overview (QR code below) ● Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network (QR code below) ● How to Seek Compensation for Mental Health Conditions caused or aggravated by a Federal Employer - CFPB Union (QR code below) YOU ALSO HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH! As long as you speak in your personal capacity about a matter of public concern and your speech does not interfere with your job, you can generally say what you want. Click the last QR code above for a presentation explaining federal employee free speech rights. ● Your union representatives
🚨 We want to get this flyer out to DOL employees who have been RIFed but many of them are on administrative leave instead of in the building. If you know any feds who need this info, please share it with them!
Important info on what to do after receiving a RIF notice (alt text included) ⬇️⬇️
Document with white boxes outlined in black. The top box reads things you can do right now. Learn about the history of Black, Brown & Indigenous struggle for liberation here in the U.S., labor movements, general strikes, etc. Get to know your neighbors and coworkers to foster trust and solidarity. Join or start mutual aid networks to support those in need (groceries, childcare, transportation). Attend local community meetings, tenant council meetings, union gatherings, or activist workshops or community gatherings. Boycott exploitative corporations and support local, ethical businesses and collectives. Develop practical skills such as first aid, gardening, food preservation, or repair work to contribute to community resilience. Learn about digital security and encryption to protect sensitive organizing efforts. The second box down is smaller and to the left, reading strike card, 1. Sign your digital strike card and share with others here. 2. Mail in your strike card to: GSUS, PO Box 7, Malden-on-Hudson NY, 12453. 3. Commit in-person and encourage folks to do the same using this process. The third box is to the right reading regional chapters, Chapters are dedicated to promoting self determination and collective sustainability by establishing or supporting local programs and services that empower their communities. There are currently 30+ chapters in various stages of development, working to prepare their communities to strike. Find your closest regional chapter here. The final box takes up the bottom space, reading looking ahead, To harness the tactic’s true potential, general strikes need to escalate from symbolic one-day protests to ongoing actions that last days and potentially weeks, with a clear goal of inflicting both economic and political damage until the strikers’ demands are met. Strategic escalation is key. That could literally mean thousands of strikers working full-time day in and day out organizin…
Wondering what you can do to build support for a general strike? Here are some basics.
🔗 drive.proton.me/urls/A6K1QH2...
“Bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home!” Unions know that attacks on immigrants are anti-worker. The current attacks are illegal, unconstitutional abuses of power. Worker power over abuse of power. Read the story from @adriancarrasquillo.bsky.social
385 American workers die every day due to dangerous working conditions, according to the @aflcio.org.
Meanwhile, Trump put a former Amazon exec in charge of worker health and safety and is planning to shutter 11 regional OSHA offices.
Make no mistake: these moves will cost workers their lives.
Former Acting Secretary @juliesulabor.bsky.social has a message for current DOL leadership:
"If you’re so afraid your employees are going to reveal the horrible things you’re doing, stop doing them."
“To those bosses: If you're so afraid your employees are going to reveal the horrible things you're doing, stop doing them.” - Julie Su
NEWS: West Virginia coal miner Harry Wiley, who is suffering from the early stages of black lung disease, is suing Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the admin’s misguided and harmful gutting of the NIOSH facility in Morgantown, WV westvirginiawatch.com/2025/04/23/j...
Goddam. Go Harry.
Egan, thank you for your phenomenal work & beautiful words. During my time at DOL, I got to say the words you wrote and rely on the intelligence & compassion you brought, especially on Jobs Day at 7:45a. You made me — and our country — better. What a profound privilege it was to work alongside you.
NEW: A top official in the Department of Labor this week informed all staff members that they could face criminal charges if they speak to journalists, former employees or others about agency business.
🧵 I’ve submitted my resignation, and my 14+-year career at the U.S. Department of Labor is over.
I’ll save my anger for later. I’m one of thousands, not special, but I want to say how grateful I am for the profound and precious place I’m leaving.
Union leaders, advocates, workers to gather at Labor Department to demand that Chavez-DeRemer preserve vital programs and staff WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, April 14, at 12 p.m. ET, labor movement leaders, workers, and advocates will hold a press conference at the Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C., to demand that Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer preserve critical DOL programs and public servants amid damaging cuts from DOGE, which put worker safety at risk. This press conference comes on the heels of nationwide “Hands Off” demonstrations where hundreds of thousands of Americans showed up to reject DOGE and push back on the Trump administration’s dangerous agenda. April 14 is the deadline for employees of four DOL agencies to accept or reject the reopened Deferred Resignation Program offer (others have a deadline of April 18). Who: Union leaders, advocates, labor experts, workers. Speaker list to come. What: Press conference demanding an end to President Trump and Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s harmful cuts to DOL’s agencies and cruel staff firings When: 12pm, Monday, April 14 Where: Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW. Exact location to come. RSVP: Please RSVP to fedworkers2025@gmail.com
RSVP: Please RSVP to fedworkers2025@gmail.com. This press conference comes at a critical time for the Department of Labor. Just two weeks ago, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer cancelled all Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) grants, including grants to prevent child and forced labor. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has been effectively shuttered by the Trump administration. Other agencies that may be targeted include the Office of Public Affairs (OPA), which communicates important information to the public, and the Women's Bureau (WB), which has promoted working women’s rights since 1920. DOL has reopened the deferred resignation program to most employees, indicating that they are preparing to lay off a significant number of workers and possibly even eliminate these and other agencies. Employees at these agencies and more well-known DOL agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Wage & Hour Division (WHD) do the critical work of ensuring U.S. workers get paid what they're owed, stay safe at work, and can work in environments free from discrimination; and that children are not forced into dangerous employment. A cut to any DOL programs would harm the Department’s ability to do its job of looking out for American workers, which Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has claimed is her mission.
🗓️🚨 MONDAY, APRIL 14
If you care about workers and you want to do something to help, please join us at the Labor Department in D.C. at 12.
We humbly beg for your support in the wake of Fork 2.0 and the likelihood of massive RIFs. There is still time to save critical services but we have to act NOW.
“I feel much better now.”
—nobody
Elon Musk is preparing to gut the Department of Labor. This is not about eliminating waste, fraud and abuse, it’s about dismantling government and weakening institutions that enforce the rule of law.
I outlined just how damaging this will be because we can’t let it happen. (🧵4/4)
For many of these workers and employers, the Department of Labor is the agency in the federal government that says, “Not on my watch.” (🧵3/4)
Too many get paid less than they earned, get injured on the job, do their level best to save for retirement and then find that those benefits aren’t there. And for businesses who play by the rules, too many find that when their competitors cut corners, they’re put at an unfair disadvantage. (🧵2/4)
