# Ending Collective Bargaining for ~1 Million Federal Workers

> Used a national-security exclusion to strip collective-bargaining rights from federal employees across some 20 agencies (Veterans Affairs, HHS, State.

Donald Trump · Government & Workforce · Executive Order · EO 14251 · Mar 27, 2025
Official record: https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-05836

## What happened

Used a national-security exclusion to strip collective-bargaining rights from federal employees across some 20 agencies (Veterans Affairs, HHS, State, Justice, Energy, Interior, Treasury, Defense and more). A follow-on order in August 2025 expanded the list.

## How it happened

Executive order signed March 27, 2025 invoking a statutory exemption for agencies with national-security missions; expanded August 28, 2025.

## Documented impact

- [negative / substantiated] Eliminated union bargaining rights for roughly 950,000–1,000,000 federal workers. — A Center for American Progress analysis found the orders ended collective bargaining for about 84.4% of the unionized federal workforce — the broadest such rollback in the history of federal-sector labor relations.
- [negative / substantiated] Found by a federal judge to likely exceed presidential authority. — Judge Paul Friedman said the President 'clearly' exceeded his authority; a preliminary injunction was granted, though appeals courts later allowed the administration to proceed during litigation, citing national security.
- [positive / contested] Administration argues national-security agencies need staffing flexibility. — Officials framed unions as impeding the President's ability to manage the workforce on security grounds.

## Sources

- [Federal Register: EO 14251](https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2025-05836)
- [NPR: order ending union bargaining rights](https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/nx-s1-5343474/trump-collective-bargaining-unions-federal-employees)
- [Center for American Progress: 1 million workers](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/the-trump-administration-ended-collective-bargaining-for-1-million-federal-workers/)

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Canonical: https://eo.alanwizemann.com/eo/trump/ending-collective-bargaining-for-1-million-federal-workers