Judge halts Trump's efforts to strip collective bargaining from federal workers
- Judge Paul Friedman issued a preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s executive order impacting federal workers' collective bargaining rights.
- The National Treasury Employees Union argued that the executive order would significantly reduce their bargaining power and revenue.
- The ruling raises questions about the administration's intentions and the potential consequences for federal employee unions.
In Washington, D.C., a crucial legal decision was made on April 25, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman regarding the Trump administration's executive order designed to terminate collective bargaining rights for a significant portion of the federal workforce. This order, signed on March 27, 2025, was challenged by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), which claimed it would lead to the loss of collective bargaining rights for approximately two-thirds of its members, who total nearly 160,000 federal workers. The NTEU argued that this drastic measure would undermine their ability to represent employees effectively, risking over $25 million in revenue from dues. The judge's preliminary ruling stated that the order's enforcement would be temporarily blocked as it seemed to violate federal law that supports and strengthens collective bargaining among federal employees. Fed up with ongoing political tensions, the judge expressed skepticism regarding the administration's motives, suggesting that the order aimed to punish unions opposing the president's agenda. The court proceedings allowed attorneys from both sides to articulate their positions, and they were instructed to submit proposals moving forward by May 2.