Federal Court Sides with Trump on Collective Bargaining Blockade

A federal appeals court has endorsed President Donald Trump's executive order targeting collective bargaining rights for federal employees, amid ongoing litigation. This decision, issued on Friday, follows an emergency request from the Trump administration to suspend a lower court's injunction that prevented enforcement of the order across numerous agencies.

The divided ruling by a three-judge panel in Washington, D.C. sided with government arguments that unions lack the legal standing to challenge the order, which promises no immediate changes to existing agreements during litigation. Judges Karen Henderson and Justin Walker backed the administration, while Judge Michelle Childs dissented.

The White House argues the order is necessary for streamlining the federal workforce to bolster national security. Unions, however, claim it paves the way for mass firings under the guise of political retribution. The order's broad scope includes departments such as Health and Human Services, Energy, and the IRS, all of which face potential impacts.

(With inputs from agencies.)