Unions sue Trump for canceling collective bargaining contracts at federal agencies

A coalition of unions filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following the signing of an executive order forcing several federal agencies to suspend their collective bargaining agreements. The move has been described by unions as an attempt to stifle their activism in defense of workers.

The order and its justification

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order instructing 18 agencies to void their union contracts, relying on a provision of the Federal Civil Service Act that allows exemptions in entities linked to national security.

However, the unions argue that this justification is just an excuse to weaken their influence. In their lawsuit, they argue that the White House's true motivation was exposed in a briefing document attached to the order, which criticized "hostile federal unions" that, according to the Administration, had "declared war on President Trump's agenda" through legal actions to curb his policies.

Allegations of constitutional violations.

In the lawsuit, the unions argue that the order runs afoul of the First Amendment by penalizing workers for their freedom of speech and right to petition. In addition, they accuse the government of violating the Fifth Amendment by ignoring existing contracts without following due process.

This is not the first legal challenge against the measure. Days earlier, the National Treasury Employees Union had already filed its own lawsuit with similar arguments.