After spending months negotiating with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the Education Department left the bargaining table and said that it will implement its own terms. They will not be implementing previously agreed on policies regarding training and disability exceptions, telework, and others. The Education Department will be implementing a new grievance procedure and restrictions on the union’s use of office space and supplies. The contract began on March 12 and spans a 7-year duration. AFGE said that they did not agree to the new terms. According to a union spokesperson, their primary concern is to return to the bargaining table.
See "Education’s telework, training policies absent from the new bargaining terms ‘forced’ on AFGE", Nicole Ogrysko, Federal News Radio, March 14, 2018