During fiscal years 2023 and 2024, federal workers at the Defense Health Agency (DHA) devoted 87,000 hours and $3.3 million to manage their union benefits, with taxpayers covering the costs. This information was uncovered in a report obtained by Sen. Joni Ernst’s office. The union staff at DHA, responsible for overseeing TRICARE health benefits for US troops, charged the government for time spent on various tasks such as contract negotiations and fringe benefits. A significant portion of the funds, around $190,000, was allocated for negotiating a labor contract since April 2023.
DHA justified the substantial expense by citing efforts to enhance labor relations during a transitional period. Notably, the agency’s headquarters were only 36% occupied at that time. This expenditure on taxpayer-funded union time at DHA is the largest figure unveiled by Ernst’s office in its investigation of federal agencies’ utilization of taxpayer resources for union-related activities.
Ernst, a Senate DOGE caucus leader and Army veteran, has been advocating for federal workers to reimburse the government for time and resources spent on union activities. She criticized the situation at DHA, emphasizing that taxpayers funded over $3 million in union activities while the agency’s headquarters had low occupancy. Ernst stressed the importance of bureaucrats serving the American people rather than themselves.
Furthermore, the report highlighted variations in spending on taxpayer-funded union time across federal agencies, with NASA and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission allocating significantly lower amounts compared to DHA. While federal unions cannot negotiate benefits and pay, they have the authority to discuss minor aspects of working conditions, as explained by Rachel Greszler from the Heritage Foundation.
In previous years, the Office of Personnel Management disclosed that the federal government spent at least $135 million on taxpayer-funded union time in 2019. However, tracking of this data ceased after that year. Ernst’s efforts to end taxpayer-funded union time have gained momentum, with her push for legislation in this regard. Following her request for data from various federal agencies, the Trump administration directed these agencies to provide the necessary information.
Efforts to obtain comments from both DHA and its union on this matter were made by The Post.
