Largest federal union sues President Trump over executive order

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The largest union representing federal government workers, the American Federation of Government Employees, sued the Trump administration Wednesday in response to an executive order President Trump issued last week that aims to deny workers their legal right to representation at the worksite.

"This president seems to think he is above the law, and we are not going to stand by while he tries to shred workers' rights," AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. "This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. No president should be able to undo a law he doesn't like through administrative fiat."

On Friday, May 25, President Trump signed executive orders that chip away at due process and collective bargaining rights for federal employees; a third executive order, which impedes employee representation at the job site, is the focus of the lawsuit.

AFGE filed the lawsuit May 30 in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The lawsuit challenges the executive order as violating the right to freedom of association guaranteed by the First Amendment, and as exceeding the president's authority under the Constitution of the United States.

"Congress passed these laws to guarantee workers a collective voice in resolving workplace issues and improving the services they deliver to the public every day ? whether it's caring for veterans, ensuring our air and water are safe, preventing illegal weapons and drugs from crossing our borders, or helping communities recover from hurricanes and other disasters," Cox said.

"We will not stand by and let this administration willfully violate the Constitution to score political points."

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube." 

SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees