The House Armed Services Committee approved an amendment to the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act that would restore collective bargaining rights at the Department of Defense, while also rejecting an amendment that would have lifted the longstanding moratorium on privatizing federal jobs through OMB Circular A-76.
Both actions are an encouraging early sign of support for DoD’s civilian employees and their workplace rights.
Committee members voted 30-26 to approve the bipartisan amendment offered by Rep. Donald Norcross that would restore DoD workers’ collective bargaining rights. All Democrats voted in support of the amendment, and they were joined by Republicans Don Bacon of Nebraska, Mike Turner of Ohio, and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.
Most DoD civilian employees were among the more than 1 million federal employees who were excluded from collective bargaining through an executive order President Trump signed in March 2025. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth followed up with a memorandum this April to terminate most of the department’s collective bargaining agreements with AFGE and other unions.
AFGE Legislative Director Daniel Horowitz urged members to support the Norcross amendment ahead of the vote.
“Restoring collective bargaining is not about expanding rights or constraining management. Existing agreements already contain robust management rights provisions, emergency authorities, and national security exceptions that allow commanders and program managers to act when mission requirements demand. What collective bargaining provides is a structured channel for identifying and resolving workforce problems before they become operational ones, including improving safety, retention, productivity, and accountability,” Horowitz wrote in a letter to committee members.
Meanwhile, the committee voted 26-28 to reject an amendment by Rep. Nancy Mace that would have lifted the longstanding moratorium on privatizing federal jobs through OMB Circular A-76.
“The A-76 circular has consistently failed to produce promised savings, disrupts mission critical work, and undermines recruitment, retention, and morale at the depots, shipyards, and installations on which America’s warfighters depend,” Horowitz wrote.
The June 4 markup was a critical first step in a long journey toward final passage of the NDAA. The full House is expected to consider the bill before the July recess, while the Senate Armed Services Committee met behind closed doors last week to mark up its own version of the NDAA.
A pro-worker outcome is by no means guaranteed. The House-approved fiscal 2026 NDAA included language restoring DoD workers’ collective bargaining rights, but that language was removed from the final version.
AFGE represents about 250,000 DoD employees nationwide and overseas. More than 700,000 civilian employees work at DoD – maintaining weapons systems, securing cyber networks, sustaining the organic industrial base, protecting energy infrastructure, and supporting border security. About 315,000 of these employees are veterans who continue to serve their country after taking off their military uniform. They keep our depots, shipyards, arsenals, and installations running.
