Trump order cuts federal worker bargaining rights, raises stakes in Va. governor’s race

WASHINGTON(7News)—PresidentDonaldTrumpsignedanexecutiveorderthatremovescollectivebargainingrightsforfederalemployeesinmoreagencies,amovethatcouldrippleintoVirginia’sraceforgovernor. Theorder,issuedThursdayaheadofLaborDay,excludesworkersatNASA,theU.S.AgencyforGlobalMedia,partsoftheNationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA),includingtheNationalWeatherService,andthePatentandTrademarkOffice’spatentdivisionfromthefederallaborstatute. ItalsosweepsinunitsoftheBureauofReclamationthatrunhydropowerfacilitiesandtheInternationalTradeAdministrationattheCommerceDepartment. Bydesignatingtheseofficesashaving“primarynationalsecurityfunctions,”theorderpreventsfederalunionsfromrepresentingtheiremployeesunderlaborlawsfirstcreatedin1978.PresidentTrump’snewexecutiveorderbuildsontheonesignedearlierthisyearinMarch. RELATED|AbigailSpanbergerunveils‘GrowingVirginiaPlan’tostrengthenworkforce,boo