Duckworth, Sorensen Demand the Trump Administration Reinstate the Collective Bargaining Agreement of 30,000 Bureau of Prison Employees

Duckworth, Sorensen Demand the Trump Administration Reinstate the Collective Bargaining Agreement of 30,000 Bureau of Prison Employees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Eric Sorensen (D-IL-17) issued the following statement, calling out the Trump Administration and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) for failing to reinstate the collective bargaining agreement with the National Council of Prison Locals, Council 33 (CPL-33), despite a federal judge's order requiring them to do so, stalling efforts to restore worker protections and ensure prison safety. On September 29, 2026, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction ordering the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reinstate its national collective bargaining agreement with the union, including related amendments, supplemental agreements and memoranda of understanding, but union officials say BOP is failing to comply with the court's order.

"Our unions help protect the workers and law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe, ensuring they have a voice on the job. These 30,000 Bureau of Prisons employees deserve fair wages, safe working conditions and the right to collectively bargain for both. A federal judge has made clear that this agreement must be reinstated, and the Trump Administration cannot simply ignore a court order because it doesn't like the outcome. This Administration must follow the law and honor its obligations to these workers."

On March 27, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order excluding the Department of Justice from federal collective bargaining requirements, prompting BOP to terminate its collective bargaining agreement with CPL-33 on September 25, 2025-four years before it was set to expire. The union sued on November 13, 2025, and last month, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, finding it likely that BOP's decision to terminate the agreement early was unlawful.

-30-