Unions Sue Trump Administration over Move to Bust Federal Employee Unions
Last week, unions representing federal workers across the country announced a lawsuitagainst the Trump administration over an executive order attempting to rob more than 1 million government employees of their union rights. The plaintiffs in this suit are AFGE, 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), who collectively represent more than 950,000 federal employees.
“This administration wants to silence anyone who fights back—but we aren’t going anywhere, and the country is on our side,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “AFL-CIO and its nearly 15 million workers are proud to stand with America’s unions as they take the Trump administration to court today. The labor movement is no stranger to fights like these, and with the solidarity of the American people, we have no intention of backing down from this one.”
“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,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said. “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.”
"The extremists in this administration have made their contempt for public service workers clear and know that stripping collective bargaining rights means stripping away their power,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We are filing this lawsuit to stop this illegal effort to silence those who speak out and protect free speech for all working people.”
“President Trump’s unlawful order isn’t just an attack on federal workers—it’s an attack on the public,” said NAGE/SEIU National President David J. Holway. “If this order stands, the ones who will suffer most are the American people."
“The president’s unlawful executive order attacking federal unions is not only an attack on a million federal workers, but [it’s] a direct attack on all workers who seek a collective voice to bargain for a better future,” said SEIU President April Verrett. “The labor movement stands in solidarity, and we will not let this administration’s union-busting tactics silence us.”
“Our veterans deserve nurses who can fight for their care without fear,” said Nancy Hagans, registered nurse and president of NNU. “This latest move by the administration is a clear attempt to intimidate us for standing up against its efforts to dismantle and privatize the [Department of Veterans Affairs], which studies have shown is a better place for veterans to receive care compared to the private sector. We will not be silenced by this bully behavior.”
“This is the most significant assault on collective bargaining rights we have ever seen in the United States,” Randy Erwin, national president of NFFE-IAM, said. “However, federal workers’ collective bargaining rights are protected by law, and President Trump does not have the right to unilaterally eliminate them. [NFFE-IAM] and our allies are confident the rule of law will be upheld and the critical rights of working people will be protected.”