Collective bargaining for federal employees still doesn't work

In late May, the Trump administration declared void a swath of collective-bargaining agreements with federal unions . These agreements affected employees in more than a dozen agencies, ranging from the Department of Defense to the Transportation Security Administration. The agreements had covered more than four-fifths of the federal civilian workforce, effectively tying the administration’s hands over how to manage personnel in the executive branch. Justifying the order, the administration cited national security and the risks posed by slow management in executive agencies.

To be sure, national security is a legitimate concern; when the president can’t manage the people who handle our top secrets and national defense, the country’s security is surely at greater risk. But the adminis