Trump administration can continue mass firings of federal workers, US judge rules

[Jose Garcia]

Source: Reuters

Feb 20 (Reuters) - The Trump administration can for now continue its mass firings of federal employees, a federal judge ruled on Thursday, rejecting a bid by a group of labor unions to halt President Donald Trump’s dramatic downsizing of the roughly 2.3 million-strong federal workforce.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C. federal court is temporary while the litigation plays out. But it is a win for the Trump administration as it seeks to purge the federal workforce and slash what it deems wasteful and fraudulent government spending.

The National Treasury Employees Union and four other unions sued last week to block the administration from firing hundreds of thousands of federal workers and granting buyouts to employees who quit voluntarily.

The unions are seeking to block eight agencies including the Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Department of Veterans Affairs from implementing mass layoffs.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-can-continue-mass-firings-federal-workers-us-judge-rules-2025-02-20/

[Irish_Dem]

1. Judges don't care if the US federal govt is destroyed.

As long as they have their cushy jobs, salary, pension, perks, etc.

[2naSalit]

9. Wish I could be there...

To see their expressions when the leopards eat their faces.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Yes to watch the judges experience the FO part of FA will be something to see.

We no longer need real judges.
Just a few pretend ones.

The real judges failed to do their jobs and here we are.

[C0RI0LANUS]

11. The same applies to tenured members of Congress. They have excellent retirement benefits.

Sources:

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL30631

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/good-question-congress-benefits/

[BumRushDaShow]

2. San Francisco (in 9th Circuit) suit filed last night by a set of Unions

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143400634

So Union suits are still being filed.

[Sanity Claws]

3. Not a ruling on the merits

Cooper on Thursday said he likely lacks the power to hear the case, and that the unions instead must file complaints with a federal labor board that hears disputes between unions and federal agencies.

[groundloop]

4. Are there any impartial federal labor boards left?

I'm betting they've already been taken over by tRump lackies.

[Sanity Claws]

5. Doubt it

But I think they have to at least exhaust that avenue before coming back to court.
I was wondering if someone else might have standing.
Maybe Airlines would have standing regarding slashing of flight controllers.

[James48]

6. For the record, that can't happen. There is no Federal Labor Board.

Because Trump fired the Federal Labor Relations Board members that would hear such a case.
See.

https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/02/trump-apparently-fires-flra-chairwoman/402933/

Without a quorum, the FLRB is unable to make decisions. They are still digging out from the backlog the last time Trump fired them all in 2017. Without a functional board, there will be no one to reprimand Trump.

[slightlv]

7. I know it's the process...

but why does it feel like everyone is covering their butts instead of standing up for the country. At some point, the good people are going to have to bend or break a few rules in order to push back against trump, IMO. No one wants to be the first, but it's imperative good people act with resolve and protect the vulnerable around them. And Fed Workers, no matter age or other aspect, or vulnerable to trump, musk, and lackies.

[PeterIsMyBrother]

8. Good news

for you?

[angrychair]

12. No justice, no peace.

Have we not learned our lesson yet that trump is never going to be held accountable by the courts?

Tired of hearing "any day now the judges will rule in our favor" because we listened to that for years now and that day never appears to be coming.