Proposed Bill Ends Paid 'Official Time' for Federal Union Activities

This bill, straightforwardly titled the "No Union Time on the Taxpayer's Dime Act," proposes a significant change to how federal employee unions operate. It seeks to amend federal law (specifically 5 U.S.C. 7131) to eliminate what's known as 'official time.' In simple terms, official time currently allows federal employees who are also union representatives to perform certain union duties – like representing coworkers in grievance procedures or negotiating contracts – during their paid work hours. This bill mandates that all such activities must be conducted while the employee is in a non-duty status, meaning on their own time, like during lunch breaks or after work.

Clocking Out for Union Duties

The core change here is the shift mandated by Section 2: union-related work moves from potentially being part of the paid workday to strictly personal time. Think about a union steward at a federal agency – maybe someone at the VA or Social Security Administration. Currently, they might use an hour of their paid shift to help a colleague navigate a workplace issue or prepare for a meeting with management. Under this bill, that hour would no longer be compensated by the agency; the steward would have to handle it during their unpaid break or after their shift ends. This fundamentally alters the day-to-day logistics of union representation within the federal government.

Representation on Personal Time

This change directly impacts federal employees and the unions representing them. Requiring union activities to occur solely on personal time could make it more challenging for union representatives to manage their duties effectively alongside their regular job responsibilities. This could potentially slow down processes like addressing grievances or negotiating working conditions, as representatives would need to find off-duty hours for these tasks. While the bill's title suggests a goal of saving taxpayer money by not paying for hours spent on union work, the practical effect is a restriction on the time and resources available for union representation, potentially limiting employee access to union support during the workday.