An executive order signed by President Donald Trump on August 28, 2020, has significant implications for NASA employees, as it removes their federal labor-management protections. This order eliminates collective bargaining rights for thousands of civil servants at NASA, citing national security concerns as the justification. The move is seen as the most substantial rollback of labor rights at the space agency in its history.
The order affects various employees across NASA, including engineers, scientists, and technicians, stripping away long-standing union protections that serve more than half of the agency’s workforce. A prime example of the impact can be seen at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The Goddard Engineers, Scientists and Technicians Association (GESTA) now finds itself unable to legally represent its members amidst significant program cuts and facility closures.
Changes to Labor Rights and Agency Oversight
The executive order amends Executive Order 12171 and places NASA on a list of agencies excluded from Chapter 71 of Title 5, which governs federal employees’ rights to organize and negotiate workplace conditions. This exclusion applies to all NASA civil servants and is based on the agency’s involvement in “intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work.” Other agencies affected include sections of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and parts of the U.S. Patent Office.
Mark Gaston Pearce, former chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, expressed concern over the implications of this order. He questioned what constitutes a national security concern sufficient for the president to exclude employees from collective bargaining. Traditionally, the Merit System Protection Board and the Federal Labor Relations Authority would provide oversight in such matters, but Pearce noted that these institutions have been weakened by the current administration.
With the enforcement capacity diminished, the impact of Trump’s executive order on existing collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) cannot be effectively reviewed or assessed. Approximately 53% of NASA’s workforce was part of a bargaining unit before this order, meaning thousands of employees have lost their protections almost overnight.
Immediate Employee Reactions and Concerns
NASA officials are aware of the executive order and are working towards implementing it. According to a NASA spokesperson, the agency is aligning with the president’s vision. However, as of August 29, GESTA President Tryshanda Moton had not received formal communication from NASA management regarding the order’s implications.
The executive order allows for existing CBAs to be nullified without cause, undermining negotiated terms related to office assignments and remote work. Pearce emphasized that the current administration appears to disregard the necessity of bilateral labor-management relations. Affected federal employees are now prohibited from striking, leaving them with limited options for advocacy and potential legal recourse.
Despite the challenging circumstances, GESTA continues to represent engineers, scientists, and technicians at Goddard. The union has historically negotiated working conditions and addressed employee concerns. However, with the new executive order in place, the ability to advocate for workers’ rights has been severely compromised.
As budget discussions continue, NASA employees are facing additional pressures. The proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget suggests the largest cuts in NASA’s history, with a 47% reduction in science funding. Employees report a decrease in transparency, often learning critical information about management decisions from GESTA rather than their supervisors.
The situation is exacerbated by facility closures at Goddard, including the impending shutdown of the visitor center and cafeteria. This has raised concerns over the loss of communal spaces essential for relationship building among colleagues, which is vital for collaboration and productivity.
In a climate marked by uncertainty, NASA employees are expressing fears of retaliation for voicing concerns. Reports indicate that supervisors have discouraged staff from contacting Human Resources without prior approval, further stifling employee communication.
While Congress appears willing to restore NASA’s budget to 2025 levels, the immediate impacts of the executive order and budget cuts are being felt across the agency. Pearce warns that without labor oversight, employees lack an independent avenue for appeals. This leaves advocacy and public pressure as potentially the only remaining tools for NASA workers.
As the situation develops, employees at Goddard have organized protests to call attention to the cuts and lobby for support from Congress. The future remains uncertain for NASA workers, who now face not only budgetary challenges but also the loss of fundamental rights to collective bargaining.