The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to terminate collective bargaining agreements between eight federal agencies and affiliates of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), arguing that the contracts obstruct national security and investigative operations.
The lawsuit, filed Thursday night in the Western District of Texas, follows an executive order issued the same day by President Trump titled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs. The order exempts agencies involved in national security and investigative work from collective bargaining obligations, citing the need for operational flexibility.
“We are taking this fight directly to the public-sector unions,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “By affirmatively suing in Texas, we are aggressively protecting President Trump’s efforts to ensure unions no longer interfere in the national security functions of the government.”
Agencies seek legal clarity on ending union agreements
The plaintiff agencies—unnamed in the DOJ release but represented collectively—are seeking a declaratory judgment that would allow them to legally terminate their collective bargaining agreements with AFGE locals, councils, and Division 10. The Justice Department said the contracts currently in place limit agencies’ ability to implement workforce policies essential to their national security missions.
Rather than unilaterally voiding the contracts, the DOJ said it filed suit to avoid legal uncertainty and potential labor conflict.
The complaint states that current agreements “micromanage oversight of the federal workforce and impede performance accountability,” posing a threat to effective execution of intelligence, investigative, and counterintelligence operations.
Push to reduce union influence in federal workforce
The legal action represents a broader effort by the Trump administration to limit the influence of public-sector unions, particularly within federal agencies that handle sensitive national security work. The executive order and lawsuit mark a significant shift in labor policy affecting thousands of federal employees represented by AFGE.
The case is now pending before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Further details about the timeline for proceedings or the specific agencies involved were not released.
