45% of Army Corps employees would quit if forced to relocate from NYC to New Jersey

A rare bipartisan coalition has emerged in opposition to the Trump administration's plan to relocate federal workers from New York City to New Jersey, sparking a labor protest that has united Democratic congressional nominee Brad Lander, Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, and the majority of New York's downstate congressional delegation.

Rally at Federal Plaza

On Thursday, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 98—representing employees of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New York District and North Atlantic Division—rallied outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. The protest targeted the proposed relocation of their offices to New Jersey.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Brad Lander attended in person, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement of support urging the federal government to retain the employees in New York. Both the Democratic and Republican New York congressional delegations have sent letters to the Trump administration requesting reconsideration of the move.

Key Details of the Proposed Move

• Approximately 465 employees would be affected
• Offices would move from Manhattan (New York District) and Brooklyn (North Atlantic Division)
• Potential new locations include Newark, Hoboken, or Jersey City
• The administration cites cost reduction as the primary motivation

Employee Concerns

Employees report they were not consulted about the decision. According to a union survey:

• 45% of New York-based employees said they would leave their positions if the office relocated to New Jersey
• Union members claim the move would disproportionately impact women

"We know that this issue disproportionately is affecting women when you talk about the additional costs that the workers would have to face," Menin said Thursday. "We're talking about childcare costs. We're talking about extra transit costs. We have a situation where both Democrats and Republicans in Congress are opposed to this move."

Lease Status and Timeline

Daniel Kim, president of IFPTE Local 98, confirmed that no lease has been signed for the new headquarters. An initial planned move for management into the new office is scheduled for August 15, but the lease must be signed by July 31 to meet a 14-day requirement under the Congressional Review Act.

In a statement to City & State, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesperson Hector Mosley confirmed: "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has an ongoing responsibility to review its facilities and operational footprint to ensure the effective stewardship of taxpayer money." He added that the agency is "committed to ensuring there will be no impact on mission execution."

Political Reactions

Brad Lander blamed President Donald Trump, arguing the move is intended to weaken the Army Corps of Engineers rather than save money.

"Their thought is that if they move it across the river, many people won't stay in their jobs because they can't manage a life of longer commuting, and they think some people will leave the agency," Lander said. "Since they started with (the Department of Governmental Efficiency) they have been looking for a weaker, smaller federal government where they try to bust the labor unions, where they try to weaken the capacity of the essential services that Americans rely on, and we've seen that in agency after agency."

A White House spokesperson referred City & State back to the Army Corps of Engineers when asked about Lander's comments.