Dear Brothers and Sisters:
As you know, President Trump issued three Executive Orders back in May 2018, that pertain to the representation of Federal sector employees by labor organizations. Those executive orders set today, Monday, July 9, 2018, as the date for implementation of much of the orders’ provisions. The Metal Trades Department joined a coalition of twelve other labor organizations to file suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. In that suit, the MTD and the other unions challenge the executive orders as being issued without authority under the U.S. Constitution or federal law, as well as the fact that certain provisions of the executive orders contradict established federal law. The lawsuit is ongoing, with metal trades unions having filed a motion for summary judgment at the end of June 2018 and the government set to file its response on July 16, 2018. There will be additional filings after that, along with an oral argument scheduled for Wednesday, June 25, 2018. The court will then issue a verbal decision on the unions’ challenge to the executive order on the following day, Thursday, June 26, 2018.
In the meantime, if you are approached by any agency representatives seeking to meet with the council to discuss the implementation of the executive orders and/or negotiations over matters such as ground rules, official time, performance, discipline, grievance procedures and arbitration, please contact me immediately.
Fraternally yours,
Jimmy Hart
President
