Union says task reporting directive a breach of labor laws and worker rights
The largest labor union representing employees of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is fighting back against a new directive that they say violates federal labor laws and collective bargaining agreements.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) National Council of HUD Locals 222 sent a cease-and-desist letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), urging them to halt a directive that requires federal employees to submit weekly reports detailing five completed tasks within an eight-hour workday.
The union said that the new directive, issued by Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Service, infringes upon collective bargaining agreements and employee privacy protections, and should be halted immediately, calling it a breach of federal labor laws.
“Congress, not OPM, controls and authorizes federal employment and related spending by the federal administrative agencies, and Congress has determined that each agency is responsible for managing its own employees,” AFGE said in a statement.
Specifically, the new directive mandates that employees of several government agencies submit a weekly report of “five completed tasks within an eight-hour time frame.”
In addition to challenging the new reporting mandate, the union is also accusing OPM of using a standardized termination notice falsely claiming performance issues and exploiting probationary periods to lay off employees across multiple federal agencies, including HUD.
“This administration has abused the probationary period to conduct a chaotic, ill-informed, and politically driven firing spree,” said AFGE national president Everett Kelley. “The result has been the indiscriminate firing of thousands of patriotic public servants across the country who help veterans in crisis, ensure the safety of our nuclear weapons, keep power flowing to American homes, combat the bird flu, and provide other essential services.”
The union is asking for an injunction to halt further terminations and reverse layoffs that have already occurred. Kelley also sent a letter to acting OPM director Charles Ezell demanding that a widely distributed email from [email protected] be rescinded.
“Since last night, it has become even more clear that the thoughtless and bullying email was meant to intimidate federal employees and cause mass confusion,” Kelley wrote in a message to union members. “Agencies across the federal government have acknowledged that confusion and that they were unaware the email was being sent. As of this writing, several agencies have now provided guidance to employees.”
Under a plan confirmed by the White House earlier this month, HUD is facing potential layoffs of up to 50% of its workforce. Some layoffs have already occurred at the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Ginnie Mae, though mortgage professionals have not reported any issues with FHA or Ginnie Mae business approvals so far.
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“These actions aren’t just illegal. They are hurting everyday Americans and making us all less safe. It’s a stark reminder of the price we all pay when you stack the government with political loyalists instead of professionals,” said Kelley.
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