USDA's Union Contract Termination Sparks Federal Worker Uncertainty

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has terminated union contracts for thousands of employees within its animal health and food safety inspection divisions. This move, aligned with a Trump administration executive order, affects over 6,650 workers and adds to federal employee uncertainty during a period of government downsizing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has initiated the termination of union contracts for thousands of its employees working in the animal health and food safety inspection sectors.

This directive aligns with an executive order by President Donald Trump, aiming to exclude certain federal workers from collective bargaining, citing national security missions. The affected include 6,500 food and consumer safety inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and 150 employees from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).

Federal workers, already grappling with uncertainties due to ongoing downsizing, see this as a significant blow. The government has been steadily reducing its workforce since January through terminations and financial incentives, with more than 1,800 departures noted across FSIS and APHIS.

(With inputs from agencies.)