WASHINGTON — President Trump took steps Friday to place new restrictions on federal government unions and make it easier to fire federal workers for misconduct.

Trump signed a series of executive orders directing agencies to make changes that his staff says Congress has ignored. The executive orders include the following actions:

■ Renegotiating contracts with federal employee unions.

■ Streamlining the time needed to fire a federal worker for poor performance. The process currently takes between six months and a year, longer if the dismissal is appealed.

■ Revising contracts to limit to 25 percent the amount of time federal employees who are authorized to work on behalf of a labor union can spend on union business during work hours. Requiring agencies to charge unions rent for office space.

The administration says these and other changes could save taxpayers $100 million annually.

ASSOCIATED PRESS