A federal judge on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce to move forward while legal proceedings continue.
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, appointed by former President Barack Obama, marks a major legal win for Trump after labor unions sought to block mass terminations and other actions aimed at reducing the size of the federal government.
Cooper rejected a request from five unions representing federal employees to halt Trump’s initiatives temporarily. Those include mass firings of probationary employees, large-scale reductions in the federal workforce, and the administration’s “deferred resignation program,” which allows employees to resign but retain full pay and benefits until Sept. 30.
In his 16-page ruling, Cooper said the unions must pursue their legal challenges through the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, which governs federal labor relations, rather than through the courts.
“Federal district judges are duty-bound to decide legal issues based on even-handed application of law and precedent—no matter the identity of the litigants or, regrettably at times, the consequences of their rulings for average people,” Cooper wrote.
The unions, including the National Treasury Employees Union and the National Federation of Federal Employees, argued that Trump’s actions violate federal law and would harm their ability to collect dues from members.
However, the judge ruled that the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which enforces labor laws for federal workers, has jurisdiction over these claims, indicating that they should be brought before that authority instead of a federal court.
Since Trump’s Feb. 11 executive order directing agencies to shrink their ranks, tens of thousands of federal employees have been terminated, affecting roles in public health, aviation safety, and banking oversight. Approximately 75,000 employees have accepted the resignation program so far, according to the White House.
TRUMP NOTCHES SOME LEGAL WINS AMID COURT BATTLES
The ruling by Cooper puts another victory in Trump’s column after a separate decision by a federal district court judge last week allowed the deferred resignation program to proceed, though without addressing the merits of whether the program is legal.
While Trump and his supporters have cheered the early success of the program as a way to save taxpayer funds, the plan could still result in significant costs, such as an estimated $2.3 billion in unemployment benefits, if the administration succeeds in shaving off 10% of the federal workforce.
