A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration’s executive order that removed collective bargaining rights from nearly a million federal employees. The decision follows a lawsuit filed by six unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), challenging the March 27 executive order on grounds of unconstitutionality and retaliation.
The unions argue that President Trump’s action was in response to their vocal opposition and legal challenges against his administration, thus violating First Amendment rights. They also claim that the administration breached the Fifth Amendment by voiding existing collective bargaining agreements without due process.
The lawsuit was brought before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California by AFGE, 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). Legal representation was provided by Bredhoff and Kaiser PLLC and Feinberg, Jackson, Worthman & Wasow LLP.
AFGE National President Everett Kelley expressed gratitude for Judge Donato’s ruling, stating it exposed Trump’s “disingenuous ‘national security’ justification” as a means to undermine union rights. Kelley emphasized that revoking these rights was an attempt to disrupt federal unions and workforce services.
AFSCME President Lee Saunders described the ruling as justice for workers retaliated against for opposing illegal executive actions. He asserted that targeting federal workers through political retribution endangers all working people’s freedom to seek fair treatment.
NAGE National President David J. Holway condemned the administration’s tactics as authoritarian and highlighted that national security should not be used as a pretext for union busting. SEIU President April Verrett criticized the executive order as an attack on all workers seeking collective bargaining rights.
Irma Westmoreland from National Nurses United underscored the importance of collective bargaining for advocating veteran care. NFFE National President Randy Erwin accused the Trump Administration of violating constitutional protections in an anti-union effort unprecedented in its scope.
Judge Donato’s ruling represents a significant defense of federal employees’ rights to unionize and collectively bargain, maintaining longstanding protections supported across party lines.
