Newly Formed 'Federal Workers Alliance' to Strengthen Federal Sector Union Advocacy

Twenty-one labor unions, collectively representing more than 300,000 federal workers announced the formation of the Federal Workers Alliance (FWA). The newly formed coalition is dedicated to fighting for the interests of federal workers. 

“Plain and simple, when federal unions are able to speak with a united front, we all benefit from our collective voice being stronger and more authoritative,” said William R. Dougan, national president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. Dougan also will be serving as the FWA’s Acting Chairman.

One of the major functions of the FWA will be to get federal sector unions on the same page when dealing with Congress and the Administration.

“Our coordination will allow us to stay on message,” said Dougan.  “If we fail to coordinate, we have the potential to send mixed, or even conflicting, messages to Congress and the Administration.  We should have the proper venue to coordinate our position whenever it is possible to do so, and that venue is the Federal Workers Alliance.”

The FWA can boast having impressive political clout.  Among the unions that have pledged their support to the FWA, 10 of those unions (or their affiliated parent union) have political action committees that spent $2 million or more in the 2007-08 election cycle.

“The FWA will allow our collective message to be much stronger,” said Dougan.  “We now have the ability to line up several of labor’s biggest unions in advocacy of key federal sector priorities. When we are able to do that, it is an impressive showing of strength.  This alliance will be an enormous asset to the federal workforce.”

The twenty-one current members of the FWA are: the American Federation of Federal, State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); the Association of Civilian Technicians (ACT); the Federal Education Association/National Education Association (FEA/NEA); the Federation of Indian Service Employees (FISE); the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF);  the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT); the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (IOMM&P); the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA); Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association (MEBA); the Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO; the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA); the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE/SEIU); the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE); Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS); the Seafarers International Union; the Sheet Metal Workers International Association; and the United Power Trades Organization (UPTO).

The FWA expects to welcome more unions into the coalition over the next several weeks.