Unions Drop Appeal Challenging Limits to ‘Grass Roots’ Lobbying

The two largest federal employee unions are dropping their U.S. appeals court challenge to a labor panel ruling that government employees who are also union officials can’t use “official time"—paid time for union representational work—for indirect, or “grass roots,” lobbying of Congress.

While official time can be used for direct lobbying of Congress, it can’t be used by union members to encourage the public to put pressure on lawmakers to influence bills, laws, policies, or appropriations, the Federal Labor Relations Authority said in a split 2-1 ruling that was challenged by the unions in August.

The American Federation of Government ...