President Donald Trump has issued an executive order ending collective bargaining for federal administrative workers, directly confronting what many conservatives call an excessively large federal workforce that treats government employment as a taxpayer-funded entitlement.
The order eliminates collective bargaining rights for administrative personnel in numerous federal departments, including Veterans Affairs, Defense, State, Energy, Justice and Homeland Security’s immigration-related agencies.
Trump used authority provided by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to justify the order. The administration cited national security reasons for revoking union privileges, emphasizing the importance of streamlined management in sensitive government operations.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) immediately responded, saying it would challenge Trump’s order legally. AFGE President Everett Kelley described Trump’s action as a targeted attack on federal employees who have opposed his policies in the past.
The administration moved swiftly to defend itself legally, filing a lawsuit in Texas to secure approval for terminating existing union contracts. Attorney General Pam Bondi argued collective bargaining agreements currently prevent necessary management actions in security-sensitive agencies.
Trump has intensified efforts to reduce federal workforce spending, recently placing billionaire Elon Musk in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s stated goal is to dramatically lower the federal deficit by cutting billions in daily government spending.
Earlier in March, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced layoffs of approximately 10,000 federal employees, further signaling Trump’s determination to trim what many conservatives view as excessive government payrolls.
