National Federation of Federal Employees
A United States labor union representing federal government employees.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
The National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) is a United States labor union representing employees of the federal government. Founded in Washington, D.C., on September 17, 1917, it is one of the earliest national organizations created to represent civilian federal workers and became the first union to secure a legally recognized right to represent federal employees, in 1918. The organization developed from a broader movement of craft-based employee associations that had emerged in federal agencies during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. NFFE’s early growth was enabled by the Lloyd–La Follette Act of 1912, which protected the ability of civil servants to petition Congress and provide information to congressional committees. Before that legislation, a series of executive orders had restricted federal employees’ ability to seek changes in pay, influence legislation, or communicate independently with Congress. NFFE used the new statutory protections to pursue collective representation and legislative reform. Its early agenda included the creation of a consistent federal job-classification system and nationally uniform compensation standards. That campaign contributed to the establishment of the congressional Joint Committee on Reclassification of Salaries in 1919 and the Classification Act of 1923, which introduced standardized federal compensation levels based on job duties and responsibilities. The federation initially included many craft-oriented locals, but most of its bargaining units gradually moved toward an industrial and agency-wide structure. One notable early unit was the Bureau of Engraving and Printing local, which had organized more than 1,500 employees by 1929. It was described as the largest NFFE chapter at the time and became an important base for the union’s advocacy of women’s workplace rights. Florence Etheridge, associated with that early movement, became chair of NFFE’s first national council. NFFE separated from the American Federation of Labor in December 1931 after disputes over the AFL’s continuing support for craft unionism and its opposition to industrial union structures. The AFL subsequently chartered the American Federation of Government Employees in 1932, creating a major rival in federal-sector labor representation. NFFE remained an independent federal employee union for decades before affiliating in 1999 with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which is affiliated with the AFL–CIO/CLC labor movement. Federal collective bargaining expanded substantially after President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10988 in 1962. As union participation among federal employees increased, NFFE’s membership also grew, approximately doubling from 80,000 in 1961 to 150,000 in 1974 according to historical accounts. The union was also an early advocate of equal-pay legislation and was described as a leading supporter of the Equal Pay Act in 1963. In the late 1980s, NFFE became involved in a constitutional and administrative-law dispute over federal employee secrecy pledges. The union challenged Standard Form 189, introduced by the Reagan administration in 1987, arguing that its language could improperly restrict protected communications by federal employees. Subsequent litigation, the replacement of the form by Standard Form 312, and Supreme Court proceedings reduced the practical significance of the dispute, and the remaining issues were dismissed in 1990. Today, NFFE represents approximately 100,000 public employees through roughly 200 local unions, primarily organized as agency-wide bargaining units. Its members work in agencies and services including the Department of Defense, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, General Services Administration, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Passport Services division of the Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. Its activities center on collective bargaining, workplace representation, federal employment policy, pay and classification, employee rights, and legislative advocacy.
History
Federal employee organizing preceded NFFE by several decades. During the 1880s, workers in federal agencies formed local craft associations, while postal employees pursued statutory improvements to working hours and compensation. In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order restricting federal employees from seeking pay increases or attempting to influence legislation except through departmental channels. Later versions extended the restrictions to independent agencies and military personnel. Under pressure from Congress, President William Howard Taft modified the policy in 1912 to permit communication with Congress, though the process remained subject to supervisory controls. Congress then enacted the Lloyd–La Follette Act on August 24, 1912. The statute affirmed that civil servants could collectively petition Congress and provide information to congressional bodies. This measure provided an important legal foundation for federal employee associations and helped create the environment in which a national union could form. In 1916, the American Federation of Labor began encouraging the consolidation of federal employee locals. NFFE was established in Washington, D.C., on September 17, 1917. In 1918, it became the first labor union to win a legally recognized right to represent federal workers. The new federation expanded rapidly and gradually moved beyond its original craft orientation. By 1929, its Bureau of Engraving and Printing local represented more than 1,500 employees. That local was also notable for its large female membership and helped make women’s workplace rights a visible part of NFFE’s identity. Florence Etheridge was elected chair of the first national council. Although some Washington-area locals retained craft-based structures, most NFFE units eventually adopted industrial or agency-wide bargaining arrangements. NFFE’s early program relied heavily on legislative advocacy. In 1919, it supported federal job classification and standardized compensation. Congress responded by creating the Joint Congressional Committee on Reclassification of Salaries, and the Classification Act of 1923 established nationwide compensation grades connected to the duties and responsibilities of positions. These reforms became a central part of the union’s historical contribution to federal personnel administration. The federation’s relationship with the AFL deteriorated during the late 1920s and early 1930s. NFFE objected to the AFL’s continued commitment to craft unionism and its attacks on industrial unionism. It disaffiliated in December 1931. The AFL responded by chartering the American Federation of Government Employees on October 17, 1932, creating a competing national organization in the federal sector. A major change in federal labor relations came in 1962, when President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10988, recognizing collective-bargaining rights for federal employees. Federal union membership rose sharply during the following years, and NFFE’s membership reportedly increased from approximately 80,000 in 1961 to roughly 150,000 in 1974. NFFE also supported the Equal Pay Act and was identified as one of its prominent proponents in 1963. In 1987, NFFE initiated litigation against the Reagan administration over Standard Form 189, a secrecy pledge required of many federal employees. The union argued that the form’s language could interfere with constitutional rights and protected employee communications. A district court initially upheld the form’s constitutionality in 1988, while a related ruling found that certain terms required clarification. The government later introduced Standard Form 312, which removed or revised much of the language that had prompted the challenge. In American Foreign Service Association v. Garfinkel, the Supreme Court held in 1989 that the new form might have resolved the conflict and sent the matter back for further proceedings. Remaining issues were dismissed in 1990, after which NFFE did not pursue the litigation further. NFFE affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in 1999. In the contemporary period, it operates through approximately 200 local unions and represents about 100,000 federal public employees. Its membership is concentrated in large federal departments and agencies, including Defense, the Forest Service, Veterans Affairs, the General Services Administration, the National Park Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, Housing and Urban Development, and Passport Services within the Department of State. Its continuing role combines contract administration, member representation, grievance support, legislative advocacy, and defense of federal civil-service rights.
- 1999
NFFE affiliates with IAM
[1]NFFE joined the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
- 1987
NFFE files secrecy-pledge litigation
[1]The union challenged Standard Form 189 and its potential effect on federal employee communications.
- 1962
Federal collective bargaining rights expand
[1]Executive Order 10988 recognized collective-bargaining rights for federal employees, contributing to significant growth in public-sector union membership.
- 1931
NFFE disaffiliates from the AFL
[1]NFFE left the American Federation of Labor amid disagreements over craft and industrial union structures.
- 1923
Classification Act supports standardized federal compensation
[1]Congress established uniform compensation levels tied to federal job duties and responsibilities after an NFFE-backed classification campaign.
- 1918
First legal recognition for a federal employee union
[1]NFFE became the first labor union to secure the legal right to represent federal workers.
- 1917
NFFE is founded
[1]The federation was organized in Washington, D.C., on September 17, 1917.
- 1912
Lloyd–La Follette Act establishes a foundation for federal employee advocacy
[1]Congress protected civil servants’ ability to petition Congress collectively and provide information to congressional bodies, strengthening the legal environment for federal employee unions.
Products and positioning
A historic national union focused on collective representation and policy advocacy for employees of the United States federal government.
Labor union service
Collective bargaining representation
NFFE represents federal employees through local unions and bargaining units, many of which are organized across an entire agency or major workplace. The service includes negotiating employment agreements, addressing working conditions, and advocating for members in dealings with federal agencies.
Labor union service
Grievance and workplace representation
Through its local structure, NFFE provides representation concerning workplace disputes, employee rights, contract interpretation, and related federal personnel matters. Specific procedures and coverage depend on the applicable bargaining unit and collective-bargaining agreement.
Public-policy advocacy · 1917
Legislative and policy advocacy
NFFE has historically used legislative advocacy to pursue federal job classification, standardized compensation, equal-pay protections, and broader civil-service rights. Policy work remains a central function alongside direct representation of members.
Marketing campaigns
- 1963Equal Pay Act advocacy
United States
NFFE supported equal-pay legislation and was identified as one of the leading proponents of the Equal Pay Act.
- 1919Federal classification and compensation campaign
United States
NFFE advocated a formal federal job-classification system and consistent national compensation rates based on the duties of each position.
Outcome. Congress created a Joint Committee on Reclassification of Salaries in 1919, followed by the Classification Act of 1923.
Brand decisions
1999
Affiliation with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace WorkersM&ABackground
After decades as an independent federal employee union, NFFE sought affiliation with a larger labor organization.
Action taken
NFFE affiliated with IAM, an AFL–CIO/CLC trade union.
Aftermath
NFFE continued operating as a federal employee union within the IAM labor organization.
1987
Challenge to Standard Form 189OtherBackground
The Reagan administration required federal employees to sign a secrecy pledge that NFFE believed could restrict lawful communications and employee rights.
Action taken
NFFE filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Standard Form 189.
Aftermath
Standard Form 312 replaced the disputed form in 1988. Supreme Court proceedings in 1989 and subsequent district-court action ended the remaining litigation in 1990.
1931
Disaffiliation from the American Federation of LaborStrategyBackground
NFFE disagreed with the AFL’s continued support for craft unionism and its opposition to industrial union structures.
Action taken
NFFE left the AFL in December 1931 and continued as an independent federal employee union.
Aftermath
The AFL chartered the American Federation of Government Employees in 1932, adding a major competitor in federal-sector representation.
- American Federation of Government Employees — The AFL created AFGE in 1932 after NFFE’s departure.
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