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.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Nick Martire (9/30/2025)
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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 Oct. 25, 2025, 10:55 p.m.
State / Territory: District of Columbia
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):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority: