AFGE Council 238’s Statement On Joe Biden’s Election

With Joe Biden elected the next President of the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) largest union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, President Gary Morton released the following statement on behalf of thousands of EPA employees:

“AFGE Council 238 congratulates President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their decisive victory. Science and the scientists at the heart of the EPA were on the ballot, and the candidate who believes in science and strengthening workers’ rights has won. Now the work must begin to reverse nearly four years of relentless attacks on federal employees and the climate by the current Administration, and restore the full mission of the EPA: to protect human health and the environment, and make real progress in our fight to combat climate change.

“In this 50th anniversary of the EPA, we look forward to a Biden administration presiding over an EPA that supports workers’ calls for a Bill of Rights, protects scientific integrity in EPA work, and restores a fair contract and full budget to the EPA. Protecting the health of our country and our planet depends on a fully functioning EPA, where all employees – from climate scientists to pollution analysts, lawyers, and enforcement personnel – are free from political interference to do their jobs. EPA employees are eager to roll up our sleeves and get to work on protecting the environment and tackling climate change.”

Background on AFGE Council 238

AFGE Council 238 is the EPA’s largest employees’ union representing approximately 7,500 workers from coast to coast — about half of the agency’s workforce. Over the last year, Council 238 has been fighting for a 10-point Bill of Rights to Save EPA, demanding the agency protect scientific integrity at work, the right to enforce environmental laws without political interference or fear of reprisal, and the right to a fair contract.