Judge Rules OPM's Mass Firings of Federal Workers Illegal

Federal Judge Halts Mass Firings of Probationary Employees

Federal workers received a temporary reprieve last week as a San Francisco court intervened against the mass dismissal of probationary employees. The ruling has sparked significant discussions among labor unions and government agencies.

Judge William H. Alsup of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must cease its directive for mass terminations of probationary federal employees, a decision that has been deemed illegal by the court. This move comes after several weeks of pressure on federal employees under the new administration.

The legal case was brought forward by a coalition including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP, AFSCME), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFGE Local 1216, alongside other nonprofit organizations.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders commented in a press statement, "We know this decision is just a first step, but it gives federal employees a respite." He emphasized the ongoing harassment faced by federal employees from influential figures aiming to benefit at the workers' expense. Saunders assured continued efforts to protect federal workers from what he described as baseless terminations.

Judge Alsup criticized the federal agencies' actions during the hearing, stating, “that’s just not right in our country,” and highlighted the lack of statutory authority for OPM to manage employment decisions across other agencies.

The lawsuit was initiated on February 19 by AFSCME and its partners following OPM's directive to terminate employees with less than two years of federal service. The unions have described the directive as a significant employment fraud, arguing that it violated federal laws by falsely labeling employees as poor performers.

AFSCME’s ongoing Get Organized campaign aims to thwart efforts by anti-union entities from undermining public services and eroding workers' rights, including job security and union membership.

The call to action is clear: workers need to Get Organized. It's time to GO.