EPA workers demand Bill of Rights
‘The Trump administration has declared war on the EPA and its workers,’ says union leader Nicole Cantello
EPA union leader Nicole Cantello speaks at a protest in Chicago last July. (One Illinois/Ted Cox)
By Ted Cox
Charging that the Trump administration “has declared war” on the Environmental Protection Agency and its employees, Midwest union leaders demanded an EPA Workers’ Bill of Rights Tuesday at a news conference in Chicago.
“The Trump administration has declared war on the EPA and its workers, and the workers are caught in the crossfire,” said Nicole Cantello, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 704 representing 1,000 EPA employees in the Region 5 Great Lakes office.
“Our demands are simple,” she added, “fair working conditions and the right to do the job we were hired to do — protect public health and the environment.”
Felicia Chase, an EPA geologist, said President Trump, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, and Region 5 head Cathy Stepp “have waged war on thousands of scientists, attorneys, and engineers who fight every day to protect human health and the environment. They have waged war on our union,” she added, “and they have waged war against science.”
Critics have charged since Trump’s first days in office that his administration has attempted to systematically undermine the EPA’s mission to police business on environmental issues. Cantello accused Trump of attempting to roll back 83 rules and regulations.
“These people are not trying to steer the ship,” said Brian Urbaszewski of the Respiratory Health Association. “They’re trying to sink the ship and take all the employees with them. They’re trying to take the public with them.”
Union shop steward Loreen Targos, an EPA scientist, cited how the administration had issued a “unilateral anti-employee directive” in July attempting to undermine the union — which triggered a public protest in Chicago.
Targos laid out 10 demands for an EPA Workers’ Bill of Rights, including granting scientific integrity, enforcing federal laws without political interference, fully funding the budget and committing to full staffing, acknowledging and confronting climate change, granting whistleblowers protection, a fair contract, investing in fossil-fuel-free energy, and acknowledging environmental rights and justice.
Pointing out that the EPA is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, Cantello said agency staffing was at its lowest level since 1985 under President Reagan.
EPA workers first made their demands for a Bill of Rights Monday. Midwest workers joined the chorus Tuesday.
“It is our turn to speak up for what is right and just,” Chase said. “It’s our turn to let the world know that EPA workers will not be silenced.”
The support for EPA workers was backed by prominent environmental groups including the Sierra Club’s Illinois Chapter and the Illinois Environmental Council.
News also broke Monday that Stepp — a controversial environmental steward dating back to her days in the administration of former Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin — was leaving the agency later this month to pursue “a professional opportunity” in Missouri. She repeatedly clashed with U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth as well as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.
Jack Darin, director of the Sierra Club’s Illinois Chapter, was not optimistic about Stepp’s replacement to be appointed by the administration, saying, “If our president can’t send someone to the Midwest who will let these professionals do their job, and stay out of the way and let them protect our air and water, then maybe they shouldn’t send anyone at all if they’re only going to be sent here to hold these professionals back.”