Bargaining unit employees of the Customs and Border
Protection will begin voting for a single union to
exclusively represent them starting May 9, a combination
of union representation that flows from the creation of
the Department of Homeland Security three years ago.
Elections reverberate throughout the workplace before
and after an election, and at stake for the unions is a
voice in the national security debate, along with a
potentially substantial gain in dues-paying membership,
for the winner.
Currently, two large unions, the National Treasury Employees
Union and the American Federation of Government Employees,
and one small one, the Association of Agriculture Employees,
represent 21,000 CBP union employees. Only AFGE and NTEU
will compete for the unit.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority will oversee the
election and start counting votes after June 22. Ballots
will be mailed to the homes of CBP employees who were on
agency rolls as of February 3 this year.
Eligible employees that don’t receive a ballot must complete
an application for one by May 30. The winner must win over
half the votes cast.