Filed Date: Sept. 2, 2025
Case Ongoing
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This case challenged the legality of President Trump’s Executive Order Nos. 14343 and 14251, which terminated the collective bargaining rights of certain federal employees on national security grounds.
On September 2, 2025, two federal unions, the National Weather Service Employees Organization (“NWSEO”) and the Patent Office Professional Association (“POPA”) filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The two unions represent about 4000 employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”)--primarily employees of the National Weather Service, and about 9,000 professional employees of U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), a component of the Department of Commerce. They sued President Trump, and lead officials for the Department of Commerce, NOAA, and USPTO.
Plaintiffs brought suit under the Federal Service Labor Management Relations Statute (“FSLMRS”), 5 U.S.C. § 7103(b), the First Amendment, and the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection guarantee. They sought both injunctive and declaratory relief, alleging Section 2(b) of Executive Order No. 14343 is unlawful as applied to the Office of the Commissioner of Patents and subordinate units, the National Environmental, Satellite, Data, and Information Service, and the National Weather Service.
They argued that those offices do not play a national security role, and therefore the national security rationale used to justify withdrawing federal recognition of the plaintiff unions was a pretense - the real reason was political retribution because the unions had criticized President Trump’s policies. Plaintiffs cited White House “fact sheets” which admitted the orders targeted unions filing grievances against President Trump’s policies to bolster their argument that the exclusions were retaliatory, not security-based. Plaintiffs also sought declaratory relief that Section 2(b) of Executive Order No. 14251 is unlawful as applied to the USPTO’s Office of Chief Information Officer.
The case was assigned to District Judge Paul L. Friedman.
On October 7, 2025, Judge Friedman related this case to seven others that were also brought by federal employees challenging EO 14251 and/or 14343's purported national security rationale.The cases which also challenged EO 14251 are: National Treasury Employees Union v. Trump (filed in March), American Foreign Service Association v. Trump, Federal Education Association v. Trump, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations v. Trump, and National Association of Agriculture Employees v. Trump. The cases which also challenged EO 14343 are: National Treasury Employees Union v. Trump (filed in September) and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO v. Trump.
On October 24, 2025, Plaintiffs moved for a preliminary injunction to enjoin the application and enforcement of both Executive Orders as they applied to Plaintiff's collective bargaining rights. Judge Friedman directed the parties to meet and confer to file a joint status report with a proposed date for a hearing on the preliminary injunction by November 7, 2025.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Nick Martire (9/30/2025)
National Treasury Employees Union v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
American Foreign Service Association v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
Federal Education Association v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
National Association of Agriculture Employees v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
National Treasury Employees Union v. Trump, District of District of Columbia (2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71251722/parties/national-weather-service-employees-organization-v-trump/
Friedman, Paul L. (District of Columbia)
Bolek, Keith R. (District of Columbia)
Hirn, Richard J (District of Columbia)
Pullium, April H. (District of Columbia)
Simon, Jeremy S. (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71251722/national-weather-service-employees-organization-v-trump/
Last updated Nov. 10, 2025, 10:48 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 2, 2025
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiffs are the National Weather Service Employees Organization, which is a union representing the National Weather Service and certain offices within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Patent Office Professional Association, which is a labor organization representing nearly 9,000 employees of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Department of Commerce, Federal
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute, 5 U.S.C. §7101
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:25-cv-02947
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority: