OPM has issued guidance to agencies on abolishing labor-management partnerships and forums in light of an executive order from President Trump canceling that initiative, which has been on-again, off-again for decades.

The order revoked one from the Biden administration that had re-established such joint labor-management committees; allowed “pre-decisional involvement” by unions on workplace matters beyond those that are negotiable; and required that agencies involve unions in developing plans to carry out those directives.

Trump’s order “is returning the Executive Branch to the policies of his first administration . . . , Agencies should take steps to abolish existing forums, committees, and councils, whether established agency-wide or at a subordinate organizational level. This includes rescinding any regulations, rules, policies, or guidelines establishing, promoting, or requiring the utilization of forums, committees, and councils,” says a memo on chcoc.gov.

“Agencies should also cease the use of pre-decisional involvement of labor unions and employees in agency matters” and should seek to renegotiate “at the earliest practicable juncture” any contracts requiring it, the memo says, telling agencies to report on such steps by April 30.

Forum and partnership-type arrangements outside of the formal bargaining context first began in the Clinton administration and then have been alternately revoked and reinstated by each Republican and Democratic administration since then.