FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
June 25, 2025
Washington, D.C. – In another major win for federal workers and labor rights, a federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction halting the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle union protections for nearly one million federal employees.
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in April by six major federal employee unions in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, including the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). The unions challenged an executive order (EO) issued by President Trump on March 27, which sought to revoke collective bargaining rights from approximately 950,000 federal workers. The administration claimed national security as justification, but the court found the EO likely violated the law.
The union coalition argued that the EO constituted unconstitutional retaliation. The plaintiffs claimed the order was designed to punish federal employee unions for speaking out against the administration’s illegal workplace practices—activity protected by the First Amendment.
The unions further alleged that the administration violated the Fifth Amendment by nullifying legally binding collective bargaining agreements without due process. They also argued the EO unlawfully invoked a national security exemption for workers whose duties have no connection to national security, including employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, General Services Administration, Passport Services, among many others.
The coalition of unions bringing the lawsuit includes the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the National Association of Government Employees (NAGE-SEIU), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), the National Nurses United (NNU), and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). This decision represents a critical step toward preserving the rights of federal employees and ensuring the rule of law applies even at the highest levels of government.
“The Constitution protects the right of federal employees to join a union and has been supported by Presidents of both parties for decades,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “We believe the Trump Administration is blatantly violating both the Constitution and federal law in a misguided attempt to bust federal unions. In our view, this is the most anti-worker and anti-union action this country has ever seen. NFFE and our allies are pleased to see the rule of law upheld and the critical rights of working people protected by Judge Donato.”