The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on Monday in the U.S. District Court for Maryland. The unions are seeking to reinstate collective bargaining agreements with the Department of Defense (DOD), which were terminated in April following a March 2025 executive order. The executive order cited national security grounds for barring collective bargaining for two-thirds of the federal workforce.
The lawsuit alleges that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not follow the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which requires agencies to provide reasoned decision-making and consider alternatives before taking final action. The unions argued in the filing that the department provided only 24 hours' notice and did not identify specific portions of the contracts that conflicted with national security. They also stated that the DOD did not use a template provided by the Office of Personnel Management designed to explain policy changes.
In the filing, the unions stated that the termination of contracts has led to a decline in membership and the denial of union representation during disciplinary proceedings. The labor groups also reported that managers have unilaterally altered work schedules and informed employees that their unions are no longer recognized. The DOD has maintained that the contract terminations were necessary to comply with the presidential executive order.
Judge Stephanie Gallagher, who was originally nominated to the federal bench by President Obama and later by President Trump, is presiding over the case. The court has not yet ruled on the request for an injunction.