Link: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/29/epa-union-sues-trump-administration

The lawsuit, filed by two local unions of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), claims the agency failed to justify the contract’s termination and was motivated by a desire to repress political dissent, a violation of the employees’ first amendment rights.

“While the dedicated civil servants … are working hard every day to advance the Agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment, the Agency has turned its back on them, unlawfully eliminating their workplace protections and stifling their free speech rights,” the lawsuit said.

The EPA terminated the collective bargaining agreement in August 2025, citing Donald Trump’s executive order earlier that year that sought to eliminate collective bargaining agreements for more than 1 million federal workers. The union is asking a court to restore the union contract.