OPM Directs Agencies to End Union Contracts in Potential Defiance of Court Orders

2026-02-14 politics

Washington D.C., Saturday, 14 February 2026.
OPM has directed agencies to terminate union contracts covering two-thirds of the federal workforce, a move unions argue explicitly defies active court injunctions blocking the administration’s labor reforms.

Executive Directive Shifts Stance on Labor Agreements

On February 12, 2026, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor issued a memorandum instructing federal agencies to proceed with the termination or modification of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) [1][2]. The directive applies to agencies covered by President Trump’s Executive Orders 14251 and 14343, signed in March and August 2025, respectively, which sought to exclude roughly two-thirds of the federal workforce from labor representation on national security grounds [1][8]. While the memo acknowledges that implementation had previously been delayed due to ongoing litigation, it explicitly advises agencies to now move forward to ensure full compliance with the administration’s policy [8].

Operational Changes and Workforce Impact

The new guidance mandates comprehensive operational shifts for affected agencies. Instructions include notifying unions of contract terminations, filing decertification or unit clarification petitions with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and revising personnel files [2][3]. Additionally, agencies have been directed to cancel arbitration and unfair labor practice charges, disregard union grievances, and withdraw from negotiations [2]. To track compliance, OPM requires agencies to submit monthly updates using a provided template until all termination notices are fully executed [2].

Compounding Agency Challenges

This escalation in labor tensions arrives amidst broader structural changes and immediate fiscal risks for the civil service. OPM is simultaneously implementing the “Schedule Policy/Career” classification, a new employment category that critics, including the Federal Workforce Caucus, argue could reduce job protections for thousands of policy-influencing positions [4]. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) faces a funding deadline at midnight tonight, February 14, 2026 [5]. Officials warn that a lapse in appropriations would force 95% of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workforce to work without pay and could minimize operations at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) [5].

Sources

Federal Labor Executive Orders