Judge Blocks Trump Order Eliminating Union Bargaining For Federal Government Workers

A federal judge ruled on June 24 that the Trump administration cannot eliminate union bargaining for federal government workers.

U.S. District Judge James Donato blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order which authorized several federal agencies to bypass union bargaining, saying the order “expressed a clear point of view that is hostile to federal labor unions and their First Amendment activities.”

Donato stated that federal workers have a right to unionize and collectively bargain for improved employment conditions and Trump’s order undermined a “long-standing status quo.” He also noted that several of the unions “appear to have been deemed hostile to the president.”

Donato forbid 21 federal agencies from following the executive order until the outcome of a trial in the lawsuit has been determined. An official trial date has yet to be scheduled.

In April, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) along with several other unions sued after Trump signed the executive order back in March.

The White House argued that Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 “enables hostile Federal unions to obstruct agency management.” A memo from Office of Personnel Management then ordered several agencies to terminate their collective bargaining agreements.

The order also exempted agencies that “have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work,” from collective bargaining obligations. The unions argued that a majority of the workers affected by the order are not engaged in national security or intelligence work.

AFGE National President Everett Kelley applauded the court’s ruling.

“President Trump revoked our members’ union rights in retaliation for our advocacy on behalf of federal workers and the American people, and we are grateful that Judge Donato saw through his disingenuous ‘national security’ justification and has ordered the immediate restoration of their rights,” said Kelley.

David Holway, president of the National Association of Government Employees,  added that the the ruling was a “resounding rejection of the Trump administration’s authoritarian tactics.”