Betsy DeVos Is Now Fighting the Union at the Education Department

[riversedge]

Betsy DeVos Is Now Fighting the Union at the Education Department


https://theintercept.com/2018/03/15/betsy-devos-education-department-afge-union/
Rachel M. Cohen

Mar. 15

The union representing nearly 4,000 federal employees working for the U.S. Department of Education filed a complaint this week accusing the agency, run by Betsy DeVos, of union busting.

The complaint, filed with the Federal Labor Relations Authority on Tuesday, comes after the Education Department effectively declared itself free from union mandates by imposing upon the agency’s 3,900 staffers a “collective bargaining agreement” that commands no union agreement at all.

The move is a first, even for the boundary-pushing Trump administration. But DeVos has never been known for having positive relations with teachers unions. For decades prior to her joining the Trump administration, she funded politicians dedicated to weakening organized labor and backed school choice advocacy groups that depicted teachers unions as selfish enemies of deserving children.

On Friday, management officials at the Education Department informed their workers’ union, the American Federation of Government Employees Council 252, that they would no longer be bargaining with them. Instead, management issued a 40-page document the department is calling a “collective bargaining agreement.” This unilateral agreement supposedly took effect on Monday. Education Department staffers have been represented by the AFGE since 1982.

“AFGE did not agree to these unilateral terms,” said Claudette Young, AFGE Council 252 president, in a statement. “The agency has imposed an illegal document that we had absolutely no bargaining over. It’s a total attempt to strip employees of their collective bargaining rights and bust the union. This is an attempt to tie our hands.”...........................

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[dchill]

1. Screws loose; none to spare.

And despicable.

[onethatcares]

2. another pig at the trough

one that is more equal than anyone due to scam tactics of a business...

[smirkymonkey]

3. I won't say what I wish to happen to that stupid, evil bitch.

She needs to go.

[atreides1]

5. I have some ideas

One involves a tree, railroad spikes, and a torch...if you ever saw Conan the Barbarian, you'd get it!

Except for the torch, I just added that in myself...

[smirkymonkey]

9. I like the cut of your jib!

[Lindsay]

4. Another Trumpista

who believes that laws are for other, lesser beings.

[onecent]

6. SHE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT EDUCATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Freethinker65]

7. All according to plan. The GOP desires no Departments of Education, Housing, Labor, nor EPA.

The WH is doing a great job with its destruction.

In return, citizens will lose vital programs deemed unnecessary to the survival of the upper class. If we are lucky we may get a slight tax cut (much less percentage-wise than the highest income "job providers" ) which we can use to pay user fees for tax subsidized public-private partnerships like toll roads and for profit prisons.

[Turbineguy]

8. For the trump admin

something that damages the country is never a waste of time.

[mr_lebowski]

10. Pardon my French, but Betsy DeVos is a friggin C-word ...

Sorry I know many hate the term but if anyone qualifies ...

Man I despise her.