On Wednesday, January 14, federal workers, retired workers, and a number of federal unions rallied together at the Nation’s Capital to demand the passage of the Protect Americas Workforce Act (PAWA) in the Senate.
According to the 119th-Congress H.R.2550 summary of the act “The bill nullifies the Executive order titled Exclusion from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs (issued on March 27, 2025), which excludes specific executive agencies and subdivisions from the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute.”
In addition, “The statute authorizes federal employees’ participation in collective bargaining and enforces collective bargaining rights.”
In December 2025, the bill was passed by the House of Representatives. Now, what’s left is for the Senate to pass the bill and have the president sign it to become law.
Many groups that are in support for the PAWA bill were in attendance for the event like, the American Federation of Teachers, American Foreign Service Association, Coalition of Labor Women DC, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, National Nurses United, and much more.
Debby Szeredy, Executive Vice President of Americas Postal Workers Union addressed some of the common issues federal workers have been going through and what she hopes for as an outcome from the rally:
“Federal workers have been hit hard for the last year. Attack, after attack, after attack and we’re here today to try to get the senate to get the vote on the floor to be able to pass the PAWA, which is the act to allow collective bargaining and to get all of our rights back that they have been trying to take through executive orders.” Debby said.
In a recent press release (1/07/2026) titled, “New Employment Data Reveal Trump Firings Have Cost Maryland Nearly 25,000 Federal Jobs in 2025, with 10,300 Federal Jobs Lost October-November,” Gov Wes Moore showed that the state of Maryland had the largest decline in federal employment positions in the nation.
Along with the longest government shutdown in U.S history last year, the press release provided the state of Maryland’s estimated unemployment analytics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Maryland’s unemployment rate increased from 3.8 percent in September to 4.2 percent in November (2025). Maryland’s unemployment rate remains below the national average of 4.6 percent” according to the press release.
Maryland’s unemployment rate climbed from 3.8% in September to 4.2% in November 2025, reflecting the impact of federal job losses. However, Maryland’s rate remains below the national average of 4.6%.
The largest employment losses by sector in Maryland (October-November 2025) were:
- Government (federal, state, and local combined): -6,500 jobs
- Administrative and support services: -4,100 jobs
- Transportation, warehousing, and utilities: -2,800 jobs
- Retail trade: -1,300 jobs
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation: -1,100 jobs
By Omolemo Kale.
Journalist
