Federal Judge Allows Mass Firing of Workers Amid Unions' Legal Challenge

A federal judge has declined to temporarily block the Trump administration's mass layoffs of federal workers, effectively allowing the termination of thousands of probationary employees to proceed. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper ruled that the unions must pursue their claims through the Federal Labor Relations Authority rather than in district court. This decision is seen as a significant win for the Trump administration, which has been working to reduce the federal workforce. The National Treasury Employees Union and other labor organizations had sought to halt these firings and related programs, including deferred resignations. Despite this setback, an ongoing lawsuit against the Office of Personnel Management challenges the authority to mandate such layoffs. Overall, the ruling underscores the legal obstacles unions face in protecting their members amid sweeping workforce cuts.