Trump administration officials asked the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to immediately lift the injunction blocking enforcement of President Trump’s (R) three civil service executive orders. Government attorneys argued that the injunction has created uncertainty and stalled collective bargaining negotiations between federal agencies and union groups.

 

A three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit unanimously reversed and vacated a lower court decision that had blocked provisions of three civil service executive orders issued by President Trump (R). The judges held in their July 16 ruling that the lower court did not have jurisdiction and that the plaintiffs—a coalition of union groups—should have brought the case before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) as required by the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute (FSLMRS).

 

Plaintiffs have a 45-day grace period to request a rehearing in the case before the injunction is lifted. Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, stated on July 24 stated that the plaintiffs plan to seek a rehearing before the full D.C. Circuit.