NASA’s union time expenditures have ballooned to nearly $900,000 of taxpayer money, sparking outrage among fiscal conservatives who question why Americans are funding federal employees to conduct union business instead of space exploration.
Key Takeaways
- NASA spent $893,620 on taxpayer-funded union time in 2024, more than double the initially reported $417,798
- 49 NASA employees logged over 8,780 hours on union activities in 2024, up from 43 employees and 6,588 hours in 2023
- Federal unions cannot negotiate pay or benefits, focusing instead on workplace procedures and telework policies
- Senator Joni Ernst is leading efforts to end taxpayer-funded union time across federal agencies
- The federal government spent at least $135 million on union time in 2019, with costs continuing to rise at many agencies
NASA’s Union Time Costs Skyrocket
An audit of NASA’s spending has revealed that the space agency spent nearly $900,000 on taxpayer-funded union time in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024. The figure represents a significant increase from the initially reported $417,798, highlighting concerns about transparency in federal spending. This expenditure covers activities such as labor meetings, union-sponsored training, and preparations for collective bargaining negotiations. In fiscal year 2023, the space agency’s spending on union activities was similarly revised upward from $477,204 to $636,189, indicating a troubling pattern of understated costs.
“As has been the case with other federal agencies under the Biden administration, NASA bureaucrats were racking up an astronomical tab doing union time on the taxpayers’ dime,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
The number of NASA employees engaged in union activities has increased from 43 staff members logging 6,588.5 hours in 2023 to 49 employees recording 8,780.25 hours in 2024. This means that while NASA’s overall budget decreased from $25.4 billion in 2023 to $24.88 billion in 2024, the agency simultaneously increased spending on union time. These employees, who are associated with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers and the American Federation of Government Employees, are being paid with taxpayer dollars to conduct union business rather than fulfilling their primary job responsibilities.
Limited Union Authority Raises Questions About Value
Critics of taxpayer-funded union time point out that federal unions cannot negotiate pay or benefits, unlike their private-sector counterparts. Instead, they focus on workplace procedures, telework policies, and other administrative matters. This limited scope has led many fiscal conservatives to question whether the nearly $900,000 spent on union time represents a worthwhile investment of taxpayer dollars. With NASA’s role in the U.S. space sector diminishing as private companies like SpaceX take on more responsibilities, scrutiny of the agency’s spending priorities has intensified.
“They’re left negotiating for tedious things that are of zero or negative benefit to taxpayers,” said Rachel Greszler
While NASA has stated that it complies with federal law and is committed to transparency, the significant upward revisions in reported costs raise questions about whether the agency is being fully forthcoming about its expenditures. The space agency’s focus has shifted toward deeper space activities and the Space Launch System, which has already faced cost overruns and delays. Critics argue that the nearly $900,000 spent on union time could be better allocated toward addressing these challenges rather than supporting activities that provide questionable value to taxpayers.
Senator Ernst Leads Charge Against Union Time Spent
Senator Joni Ernst has emerged as a leading voice against taxpayer-funded union time, requesting data from 24 government agencies to assess the full scope of the issue. NASA is one of the first agencies to respond to her inquiries, revealing spending patterns that Ernst characterizes as wasteful. The Defense Health Agency reported the highest expenditure on taxpayer-funded union time, spending $3.3 million in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, demonstrating that the issue extends beyond NASA to multiple federal agencies.
Ernst’s investigation has gained momentum following the discovery that the Office of Personnel Management stopped collecting comprehensive data on taxpayer-funded union time after 2019. During the Trump administration, agencies were encouraged to report this data, revealing that the federal government spent at least $135 million on taxpayer-funded union time in 2019, with NASA contributing $641,037 to that total. The current figures suggest that despite NASA’s claims of a 35% decrease compared to five years ago, the actual costs may be higher than previously acknowledged.
“If federal employees want to space out from their jobs, they need to refund the American people for every last penny,” said Sen. Joni Ernst
