Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act Reintroduced

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, a bill to guarantee public sector employees the right to organize and bargain collectively, was reintroduced in Congress last month by U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ).

This legislation, long supported by the AFSA, seeks to establish federal baseline protections for state and local government workers—especially in states where collective bargaining rights are restricted or denied altogether.

“There are school leaders around this nation who don’t have the right to a collective bargaining agreement,” said AFSA President Dr. Leonard P. Pugliese. “This bill opens the door for them to form a union and secure a binding contract.”

The bill, previously stalled in a Republican-led House, is being revived amid increasing concerns over attacks on federal workers’ rights. Tensions escalated after former President Donald Trump issued an executive order eliminating collective bargaining rights for over a million federal workers.

The legislation is backed by a broad coalition of labor unions, including AFSA, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and unions representing firefighters, educators, and municipal employees. According to the U.S. Labor Department, nearly 17.7 million Americans are employed in state and local government. Of those, roughly 6 million are union members, and another 564,000 are represented by unions but are not dues-paying members—an effect of the Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus decision, which weakened union funding by allowing public workers to opt out of paying dues while still receiving union benefits.

Despite increased public support for labor rights, political opposition in Congress—particularly from Republicans—remains strong. Advocates believe the bill’s success may depend on grassroots organizing and public pressure.

“Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “This bill will ensure that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law—it should be common sense that public workers are afforded those same rights.”

She added, “As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross.”

“I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a former union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have that same right to a voice on the job and a seat at the table.”

What the Bill Would Do

The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including:

  • The right to join a union selected by a majority of employees;
  • The right to collectively bargain over wages, hours, and working conditions;
  • Access to dispute resolution mechanisms;
  • The ability to use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues;
  • The right to engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid;
  • Protection from forced recertification elections; and
  • The ability to file suit in court to enforce their labor rights.

“When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, attacks on their fundamental freedoms grow—from the highest levels of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue the essential work they do in our communities. We call on every member of Congress to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.”

Bill Co-Sponsors

The bill has gained support from a broad range of Senate Democrats and Independents, including:
Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).