Senate Democrats Ask EPA to Explain Why It Halted Labor Talks

The Environmental Protection Agency is being asked by 41 Senate Democrats—including six senators who are running for president—to explain why the agency walked away from labor talks with a union that represents about 7,500 EPA workers.

After failing to agree on ground rules for further negotiations with Council 238 of the American Federation of Government Employees, the agency “abruptly announced earlier this year that it would forego further negotiations, and instead opted to implement a contract over union objections,” the lawmakers said in an Oct. 22 letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

The letter asks Wheeler to explain no ...