Federal Labor Relations Authority: Regulatory Amendments

The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) issued final changes to its regulations that had the effect of closing the Chicago office and eliminating its Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (CADRO). The Chicago office was one of five regional FLRA field offices. Congress established the FLRA to "provide leadership" in administering the Federal Labor-Management Relations Statute, which governs collective bargaining by unions in the federal workforce. CADRO had provided federal agencies and unions an informal avenue for resolving labor disputes without pursuing arbitrations and administration litigation to conclusion. In promulgating this rule, the agency skipped the ordinary notice and comment procedures that allow the public to comment on proposed regulatory changes. In its 2026 Congressional Budget Justification, the (FLRA) stated that the Chicago office was closed because it had lost the majority of its employees in 2025.