Trump Sued by Labor Unions Over Workforce Reduction Efforts (1)

President Donald Trump is exceeding his constitutional authority by ordering mass workforce reductions across federal agencies, a coalition of labor unions and local US governments alleged in a new lawsuit Monday.

Trump’s February executive orders directing “large-scale” reductions in force violate the US Constitution’s separation of powers as well as the Administrative Procedure Act, the unions say in their complaint in the US District Court for the Northern District of California. The plaintiffs seek a preliminary and permanent injunction enjoining Trump from implementing the executive orders.

“The president does not possess authority to reorganize, downsize, or otherwise transform the agencies of the federal government, unless and until Congress authorizes such action,” the plaintiffs said.

A spokesperson from the US Department of Justice said in a statement Tuesday that it will continue to defend Trump’s executive actions, including his “workforce optimization initiative.”

Some of the plaintiffs, including the American Federation of Government Employees, have garnered victories against the Trump administration in the Northern District of California. AFGE nabbed a win against the US Office of Personnel Management in March after Judge William Alsup ordered the administration to rehire thousands of the government’s newest employees who were terminated in February.

Altshuler Berzon LLP, Democracy Forward Foundation, Protect Democracy Project, State Democracy Defenders Fund, AFGE’s in-house counsel, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in-house counsel, Service Employees International Union’s in-house counsel, the Office of the City Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, Santa Clara County’s Office of County Counsel, the Office of King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion, Public Rights Project, Harris County Attorney’s Office, Corporation Counsel of the City of Chicago, and the Baltimore City Department of Law represent the plaintiffs.

The case is Am. Fed. of Gov’t Emp. AFL-CIO v. Trump, N.D. Cal., No. 3:25-cv-03698, complaint 4/28/25.