Erich Wagner at Government Executive reports American Federation of Government Employees (AFSCME) Council 238 - which represents Workers employed at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is calling on Administrator Lee Zeldin to reinstate the nearly 140 Employees who were put on leave last week in retaliation for signing a letter critical of the agency’s new direction under the Trump Administration. Nearly 300 EPA Employees had sent an open letter to Zeldin entitled Declaration of Dissent, accusing the Trump Administration of “recklessly undermining” EPA’s mission for ignoring science, abandoning environmental justice efforts and promoting a “culture of fear” within the Agency. More than 100 of the initial signatories endorsed the letter anonymously, a number that has since grown to more than 600. In a letter to Zeldin, Council 238 President Justin Chen accused Zeldin of violating Employees’ First Amendment rights by retaliating against them for protected speech and called for their immediate reinstatement.

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