California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief supporting a legal challenge to an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump. The executive order, EO 14.251, seeks to remove collective bargaining rights from workers in over 40 federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Attorney General Bonta stated, “I stand alongside attorneys general across the nation in full support of the unions challenging the Trump administration’s unlawful and overreaching executive order. Once again, the Trump administration not only violated labor law but also retaliated against unions for exercising their First Amendment rights to advocate for fair treatment for their members. At the California Department of Justice, we remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting the rights of working Americans across this country.”
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions filed a lawsuit alleging that the Trump Administration’s order was retaliatory and exceeded presidential authority under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relation Statute (FSLMRS). FSLMRS provides federal employees with collective bargaining rights and mandates negotiations between unions and agencies on employment terms.
On June 24, 2025, a district court granted a preliminary injunction blocking implementation of the executive order after finding substantial questions regarding potential violations of First Amendment rights. The federal government appealed this decision on June 26, 2025. Subsequently, on August 1, 2025, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the injunction pending appeal.
In their amicus brief to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Bonta and his counterparts argue that removing collective bargaining protections would negatively affect federal employees who depend on union representation. They also ask the court to reject arguments limiting evidence related to alleged retaliation.
Bonta is joined in this effort by attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the amicus brief is available online.
