Judges’ Union Says Social Security Leaders Refuse to Accept that Trump Era is Over

AALJ Says Commissioner Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black Are Trying to Eliminate It

WASHINGTON — April 30, 2021 — The Association of Administrative Law Judges (AALJ/IFPTE Judicial 1), which has been in a continuing labor dispute with the Social Security Administration (SSA), is extremely disappointed with the agency’s continued attempt to eliminate it with a Trump-era Federal Service Impasses Panel order.

SSA refused the AALJ’s recent offer to resume negotiations if the agency would withdraw the Trump-era union-busting order from the Federal Service Impasses Panel on nine disputed articles.

AALJ President Judge Melissa McIntosh says, “Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul and Deputy Commissioner David Black seem to have missed the news that the Biden-Harris administration has now been in office 100 days. Indicating that they’re ‘open to revisiting’ the disputed contract, but absolutely refusing to reject the Trump-era Panel order, that for all practical purposes eliminates our union, is not in line with the new administration. Americans want independent administrative law judges who’ll impartiality decide disability cases — that’s what we’re fighting for.”

Judge McIntosh points out that other senior officials have already withdrawn Trump-era contracts with federal workers, pointing to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition, President Biden just signed an executive order to promote collective bargaining for federal agencies and their workers.

AALJ is also awaiting a decision from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia about the constitutionality of the Impasses Panel. The union alleges the Panel was unconstitutional because the U.S. Senate did not confirm its members.

AALJ is a Local of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, AFL-CIO/CLC, and represents approximately 1,200 judges across 163 offices who preside in Social Security disability hearings across the country.

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