Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, LABOR NEWS—Preliminary injunction issued against President Trump and USAGM for cancellation of collective bargaining rights, (Nov 18, 2025)
Organizations Mentioned:American Federation of Government Employees
By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.
In a ruling from the bench, a federal judge in D.C. determined that actions taken against AFSCME and AFGE and their affiliated local unions at USAGM were “clearly retaliatory.”
On Friday, a federal judge in the District of Columbia granted a motion for a preliminary injunction sought as part of a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); the Voice of America Employees Union, AFSCME Local 1418; and AFGE Local 1812 against the Trump administration’s August 28, 2025, executive order.
Targeted retribution. According to those unions’ announcement of the ruling, the judge determined that the enjoined August 28 order directly connected to the March executive order and its accompanying Fact Sheet, which the “judge described as in effect threatening the following: ‘Unions that supported him, they’ll be fine, but other unions, not so much.’” The judge observed that the unions nevertheless “kept fighting” and found that the subsequent actions taken against them were “clearly retaliatory” and showed a pattern of First Amendment retaliation. According to the unions, “The judge concluded his oral opinion by finding it was ‘in the public interest’ to restore labor protections to USAGM employees because Voice of America is ‘voice of democracy.’”
In their lawsuit, the unions allege that the administration’s actions are a direct attempt to prevent the agency’s employees—who are journalists and other media professionals—and their unions from exercising their First Amendment rights.
“We'll continue to fight for the collective bargaining rights of our members against an administration determined to strip them away,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.
“The administration’s attacks on Voice of America and USAGM workers were plainly illegal and retaliatory,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “The Court’s finding that the administration once again violated our members’ constitutional rights, including their First Amendment rights, highlights exactly why unions matter.”
The case is No. 1:25-cv-03306.
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