Senator Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, has sent 24 letters to major federal agency heads demanding a stop to last-minute work-from-home negotiations before President Biden returns to Delaware. This move comes after Ernst introduced legislation for 2025 aimed at 'decentralizing' and relocating one-third of the federal workforce outside Washington, D.C., known as the 'DRAIN THE SWAMP Act.'
Ernst highlighted that despite the COVID-19 pandemic being over two years old, not a single government agency's office space is half-occupied. She emphasized that 90% of telework-eligible federal employees are still working from home, with only 6% doing so on a full-time basis.
In her letters, Ernst criticized public-sector unions for allegedly influencing personnel policy without adhering to federal directives from the Office of Management & Budget (OMB). She expressed concern over what she sees as union bosses rushing to secure long-term telework deals with the Biden administration, prioritizing perks over serving taxpayers.
Ernst referenced President Franklin Roosevelt's stance against unionization of public employees, suggesting that federal workers and their union representatives have forgotten his warnings. She pointed out instances where she believes union bosses and agency management have exerted undue influence over government decisions.
The Senator called for transparency regarding taxpayer-funded union time (TFUT) claims, real estate holdings designated for collective bargaining use, and instances of agencies providing discounts or free use of department property to unions or their employees.
Ernst concluded by stating that it is time to end what she perceives as a four-year vacation for bureaucrats and emphasized the need to get them back to work.
