Progressive Coalition Launched to Support Government Employees
A coalition of progressive organizations has been established to offer legal aid and guidance to government employees affected during the second term of President Donald J. Trump. The initiative, named the ‘You Are Not Alone Project’, is a triad composed of Democracy Forward’s Civil Service Strong, the American Federation of Government Employees, and the Partnership for Public Service.
The project kicked off as a pilot scheme in July, initially targeting State Department employees but has since broadened its horizons to encompass all federal agencies. Among the facilities provided by the pilot was the facilitation of free legal representation for displaced bureaucrats via Rise Up, alternatively known as the Federal Workers Legal Defense Network.
In addition to this, the pilot program also provided guidance on the procedures for lodging appeals with the Merit Systems Protection Board and filing grievances through the Office of Special Counsel. All these initiatives are components of Rise Up, formed by the coalition of the said progressive groups that also include the founding members of the ‘You Are Not Alone Project’.
Democracy Forward, the orchestrator of this movement, functions as a litigation and advocacy representative. This influential organization is headed by Marc Elias, a seasoned Democrat election attorney renowned for advocating the conspiracy theory of Russia-Trump collusion during his tenure with the Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign team.
In the words of an executive from Democracy Forward, ‘Federal employees provide their services to our nation with a spirit of commitment and honesty. As we proceed with several cases where the workforce is being unjustly targeted, we want to assure those facing the menace of job loss that they’re not alone.’
The ‘You Are Not Alone Project’ is about more than just resourcing. It’s a statement of unity, a recognition of dignity, and an assurance that public servants possess the necessary tools to safeguard their rights and progress forward. The American Federation of Government Employees, as the largest federal employee union in the country, stands as a significant partner in this initiative.
The Partnership for Public Service, the final member of this coalition, is slightly different. This organization is generally more reticent about advocacy, principally focusing on issues such as government efficiency and accountability through administrative procedures.
However, during President Trump’s second term, criticism emerged from this body against the administration for its policy of downsizing the federal workforce. This encompassed both voluntary and forced separations, causing considerable upheaval within the ranks of federal employees. The ‘You Are Not Alone Project’, encompassing all federal agencies, was first announced by these three groups towards the end of last week.
This alliance had previously initiated the pilot scheme in July, specifically targeted at former State Department staff following the issue of lay-off notices to over 1,300 employees as part of an administrative restructure directed by the Trump administration. The overall reorganization is projected to result in close to 3,000 total departures after considering both voluntary and enforced exits.
A spokesperson for the union cited a press release which detailed the pilot scheme and its objectives. According to an investigative think tank that scrutinizes nonprofit organizations, although they personally oppose the concept of federal employee unionizations, such collaborations are deemed legitimate union activities.
‘While I remain firm on my long-held belief that government worker unions should not exist… the plan, as announced, appears to be a role that labor unions, if they do exist, should undertake,’ said a representative of the think tank.
Continuing their perspective, the representative didn’t mince words when it came to their view on the partnership’s political slant. ‘Of course, it’s more partisan-political than is explicitly stated, as the affiliated groups clearly illustrate, but providing support to members affected by layoffs isn’t the worst activity labor unions could engage in.’
They also admitted that they weren’t ‘particularly surprised’ by the Partnership for Public Service’s decision to join the coalition, describing it as ‘clearly aligned with progressive movements’. While not being as overtly partisan as some, or as functionally partisan as the labor union, it perceives itself as a defender of public servants.
A stark statement from a union official emphasized, ‘We will not stand idly by as these patriotic citizens are discarded.’ Echoing this sentiment, a representative for the Partnership for Public Service stressed the urgency of the situation, highlighting the pressing need for federal employees to have reliable places where they can access accurate, clear-language resources to guide them through such uncertain and stressful times.
