The "Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallets Act of 2025" mandates labor organizations to compensate federal agencies for the use of federal resources, with penalties for non-compliance.
Scott Perry
Representative
PA-10
The "Protecting Taxpayers Wallets Act of 2025" mandates that federal agencies charge labor organizations representing their employees quarterly fees for the use of agency resources and union time. These fees are calculated based on the value of the resources used and the hourly rate of labor representatives, with strict penalties for non-payment, including the potential loss of union certification. Agencies are required to track union time accurately and agency Inspectors General must evaluate compliance with these requirements every two years. The payments collected will be deposited into the Treasury's general fund.
Federal Unions Face New Fees, Strict Time Tracking, and Potential Decertification Under 'Protecting Taxpayers Wallets Act of 2025'
The "Protecting Taxpayers Wallets Act of 2025" aims to make labor unions representing federal employees pay for using government resources, and it comes with some pretty hefty enforcement. Let's break down what that could mean in the real world.
Paying for Time and Space
The core of this bill is that unions will now be billed quarterly for "union time" (when employees work on union business during regular hours) and for using agency resources. Union time is calculated using the employee's hourly rate. Agency resources, like office space or equipment, will be valued using General Services Administration rates or market rates. The portion used by the union is what gets billed. Say a union rep uses a government conference room for a two-hour meeting. Under this bill, the union gets charged for those two hours of use, based on pre-set or market value rates.
The Price of Non-Compliance
This is where things get serious. If a union doesn't pay up within 90 days of getting the bill, they start losing access to agency resources and union time. After 180 days, payroll deductions for union dues get cut off. And after a year, the union could actually be decertified – meaning it loses its official status as the employees' representative. Plus, any unpaid fees rack up interest, defined as the average market yield of 30-year US obligations, plus one percentage point. There is no ability to dispute how the government determines how much is owed. The agency's determination is final.
Ticking Clock and No Waivers
Federal agencies have to track union time using their existing systems. If an employee doesn't record their union time, they could face disciplinary action for being "absent without leave." Agencies also can't waive or reduce any of these fees, no matter the circumstances. Every two years, agency Inspectors General will check up on compliance, looking at time tracking, fee charges, and resource valuation. These reports go to agency heads and relevant congressional committees. For example, if a union representative spends 5 hours a week on union activities but only records 3, they could face disciplinary action, and the union could still be charged for the full 5 hours based on the agency's assessment.