Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Bid to Cancel Union Agreements

A federal judge has dismissed a legal attempt by President Trump's administration to revoke collective bargaining agreements between eight federal agencies and unions representing their staff. U.S. District Judge Alan Albright ruled that the agencies lack legal standing to seek approval for implementing a Trump executive order exempting them from union negotiations, favoring the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).

This decision poses a temporary challenge to Trump's broader strategy of reducing the size of the federal workforce by lifting restrictions on firing employees. White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers maintained that Trump's executive powers were rightly used to dissolve union contracts allegedly threatening national security.

Filed by agencies such as the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security, the lawsuit alleged that President Biden's administration entered agreements with AFGE to prevent federal workers' mass firings. Judge Albright emphasized that the judiciary cannot preemptively approve government actions before they occur, echoing previous legal defeats for Trump's order.

(With inputs from agencies.)