AFGE Fights Back Against Trump Administration’s Illegal Termination of DoD Union Contracts

The Trump administration is doubling down on its war against federal workers and their unions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has taken the unprecedented step of terminating most collective bargaining agreements for 250,000 Department of Defense employees, a move the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) calls illegal and retaliatory.

This attack comes on the heels of Executive Order 14251, signed by President Trump last year, which stripped over one million federal employees of their union rights. That order was a direct response to AFGE’s vigorous advocacy, including lawsuits challenging the administration’s attempts to mass-fire federal workers, dismantle vital agencies, and replace career civil servants with loyalist contractors and political appointees.

AFGE is not taking this lying down. The union’s strategy goes beyond contracts. They are fighting in Congress, in the courts, and in the court of public opinion. AFGE locals are mobilizing on the ground with flyers, phone banks, text campaigns, and town halls to remind workers that the union is still here, still fighting.

This is more than a labor dispute. It is a clear case of unlawful retaliation aimed at silencing the voice of federal employees who serve the public and the country, including tens of thousands of military veterans working as civilian DoD staff.

AFGE National continues to challenge the legality of Executive Order 14251 and is exploring legal avenues to block the contract terminations. Meanwhile, locals are urged to stay vigilant, share information, and report any agency communications about contract status to AFGE’s General Counsel.

This relentless assault on federal workers’ rights is a critical front in the broader Trump administration effort to undermine democratic institutions and the professional civil service. AFGE’s fight is a fight for accountability, transparency, and the preservation of a non-partisan government workforce.

For more information and updates, AFGE members and supporters can visit www.afge.org/dodstrong.