Unions sue Trump over order stripping federal workers' union rights

Federal Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Alleged Retaliatory Executive Order

The Trump administration's executive order faces a legal challenge from federal worker unions, alleging it unlawfully targets union rights.

SAN FRANCISCO – A coalition of labor unions representing federal employees has brought a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing it of unlawfully stripping over a million federal workers of their union rights through an executive order. The legal action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claims the order is a retaliatory response to unions' past court victories challenging administration actions.

This lawsuit argues that the executive order used a national security exemption too broadly, impacting employees not primarily engaged in national security tasks. Affected workers span agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Environmental Protection Agency, and Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The lawsuit is backed by several unions, led by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents over 820,000 federal workers. Joining AFGE in the suit are the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), National Association of Government Employees (NAGE-SEIU), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), National Nurses United (NNU), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU), collectively representing over 950,000 federal employees.

The White House fact sheet referenced in the lawsuit alludes to a statement by AFGE, suggesting the administration's intent to undermine union influence.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley stated, “AFGE is not going to be intimidated by a bully who is throwing a temper tantrum because our union is beating them in the court of law and in the court of public opinion. Federal employees have had the right to join a union and bargain collectively for decades…Trump’s newest order to revoke union rights is a clear case of retaliation. But I’ve got news for him: we are not going anywhere.”

AFSCME President Lee Saunders echoed these sentiments, adding, “Federal workers and all AFSCME members have been making their voices heard in court and on the streets to protect public services and their jobs... We are filing this lawsuit to stop this illegal effort to silence those who speak out and protect free speech for all working people.”

NAGE National President David J. Holway emphasized the broader implications, “President Trump’s unlawful order isn’t just an attack on federal workers—it’s an attack on the public. ...If this order stands, the ones who will suffer most are the American people.”

April Verrett, SEIU President, described the executive order as retaliation against union members exercising their rights. “The President’s unlawful executive order attacking federal unions is not only an attack on a million federal workers, but is a direct attack on all workers who seek a collective voice to bargain for a better future,” she stated.

Highlighting the specific concerns of healthcare workers, Nancy Hagans, RN, NNU President, remarked, “The VA nurses rely on collective bargaining to advocate for patient safety and ensure the best care for our veterans… Without these bargaining rights, we risk retaliation for speaking up and holding our employers accountable.”

Randy Erwin, NFFE-IAM National President, concluded by framing the order as "the most significant assault on collective bargaining rights" in U.S. history, noting that it represents a broader attack on the civil service and the rights of federal employees.