“The fundamental constitutional right to join a union is under attack, and it’s a deadly serious issue for every American,” said Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which is the largest federal workers union and represents more than 800,000 employees.

Kelley and a host of union leaders and Democratic lawmakers held a press conference Friday in front of the Capitol. They strongly condemned the order as an attack on workers’ rights, democracy, and the ability of federal employees to effectively serve Americans. The leaders made it clear they are preparing legal action against the executive order. 

“We will fight in courtrooms, we will fight in Congress, we will fight in the media, we will fight on the streets and across the nation to defend workers’ rights and the integrity of public service,” Kelley said.

The White House announced late Thursday that Trump signed the executive order using the authority granted by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to end collective bargaining with federal unions in agencies with national security missions. The order applies to agencies involved in national defense, border security, foreign relations, energy security, pandemic preparedness, cybersecurity, economic defense, and public safety. 

Reactions from Democrats have been swift. The members of Congress gathered at the press conference Friday drew parallels to past anti-union actions, such as former President Ronald Reagan’s dismantling of the air traffic controllers union in 1981. They also made comparisons to authoritarian tactics, suggesting the move is part of a broader effort to dismantle democratic institutions and weaken labor rights.

“It’s clear as day that they are retaliating against the labor movement for standing up for the rights of workers,” Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) said. “When right-wing coups and authoritarian takeovers happen all over the world. The first thing they do is they attack the civil service, and then they attack the labor movement.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) also denounced the order, saying it serves the interests of the wealthy while harming the middle class.

“Donald Trump’s dark-of-night action strips away the ability of hardworking Americans to bargain for better wages and benefits, and it’s a dagger to the heart of the middle class,” Schumer said in a statement. “Everything Donald Trump does is in service to his billionaires club while eroding the American dream for working families.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) condemned Trump and House Republicans for undermining workers’ rights and attacking the economy. He vowed to defend the right to organize. 

“The late-night decision by Donald Trump to gut workers’ rights and union-bust makes clear that Republicans are hell-bent on undermining the quality of life of working-class Americans,” Jeffries said.

The Trump administration proactively filed a lawsuit in federal court in Waco, Texas, on Thursday, seeking to invalidate numerous labor contracts between unions and federal agencies. It argued the contracts hinder efforts to overhaul the federal workforce and protect national security.

The departments of Defense, Justice, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and four other agencies said former President Joe Biden’s administration entered into collective bargaining agreements with the AFGE to block the future Trump administration from pursuing its agenda.

“The President and his senior Executive Branch officials cannot afford to be obstructed by [collective Bargaining agreements] that micromanage oversight of the federal workforce and impede performance accountability,” the agencies argued in the court filings. 

A fact sheet from the White House said, “The President needs a responsive and accountable civil service to protect our national security.”

The fact sheet also said federal unions declared war on Trump’s agenda and have used their powers to block policy implementations, including filing 70 national and local grievances against Trump’s policies at the VA since his inauguration.  

The administration argued collective bargaining and certain labor protections hinder the flexibility and efficiency needed in government operations, particularly in agencies involved with national security. They made the case that unions protect underperforming employees and create excessive bureaucratic processes that affect necessary changes and improvements in government operations.

Some applauded the move from the White House, such as Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who recently introduced legislation that would prohibit federal employees from organizing or joining labor unions in order to collectively bargain. The bill would also prohibit federal agencies from participating in collective bargaining negotiations with labor unions representing federal workers. 

After introducing the Federal Workforce Freedom Act earlier this month with @SenMikeLee, I’m thrilled to see President Trump taking executive action to end collective bargaining with federal unions.

This is going to boost productivity, decrease labor costs, and produce…

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) March 28, 2025

“After introducing the Federal Workforce Freedom Act earlier this month with @SenMikeLee, I’m thrilled to see President Trump taking executive action to end collective bargaining with federal unions,” Blackburn wrote in a post on X. “This is going to boost productivity, decrease labor costs, and produce worthwhile investments.”

Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian conservative political advocacy group, praised Trump’s executive order. It argued unions should not have special privileges that increase government costs and harm workers and performance.

“Americans for Prosperity has long argued that unions in Washington should not receive special privileges in negotiating with government officials that regular citizens do not see,” said Austen Bannan, a policy fellow with the group, in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “This can dramatically increase the cost of running the government and lead to policies that harm workers, government performance, and ultimately the livelihood of all Americans.”

At the beginning of the month, the Department of Homeland Security moved to end collective bargaining with thousands of employees under the Transportation Security Administration. 

TRUMP ENDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR GOVERNMENT UNIONS AS DOGE CUTS CONTINUE

Federal unions have continued to file lawsuits in federal court, and some have been successful in blocking the Trump administration’s actions.

Two separate federal judges recently ordered the Trump administration to reinstate roughly 25,000 probationary employees who were fired from 18 federal agencies, according to data provided to the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The terminations were part of Trump’s efforts to downsize the federal bureaucracy with the help of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.