Trump Mass Firings Blocked | Aakhir Tak

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

• A federal judge blocked Trump Mass Firings order.
• The block halts mass firings of thousands of employees in US agencies.
• The judge found the firings likely unlawful.
• The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacks authority to order firings.
• The order came on a petition from labor unions and non-profits.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday temporarily blocked the Donald Trump administration from ordering multiple agencies, including the Department of Defence, to carry out the Trump Mass Firings of thousands of recently hired employees, as part of the government downsizing drive.

District Judge William Alsup found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful as the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) lacked the power to order federal agencies to fire any workers. This granted relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that opposed the move in court.

“Office of Personnel Management (OPM) does not have any authority whatsoever, under any statute in the history of the universe,” to hire or fire any employees but its own, he said. Alsup handed down the order on a temporary restraining order sought by labor unions and nonprofits in a lawsuit filed last week. This action by the Federal Judge protected many jobs.

The complaint filed by five labor unions and five nonprofit organizations is among multiple lawsuits pushing back on the administration’s efforts to vastly shrink the federal workforce, which Trump has called bloated and sloppy. Thousands of Probationary Employees have already been fired, and his administration is now aiming at career officials with civil service protection.

The plaintiffs say the Office of Personnel Management had no authority to terminate the jobs of probationary workers who generally have less than a year on the job. They also say the firings were predicated on a lie of poor performance by the workers.

Lawyers for the government say the Office of Personnel Management did not direct the firings but asked agencies to review and determine whether employees on probation were fit for continued employment. They also say that probationary employees are not guaranteed employment and that only the highest-performing and mission-critical employees should be hired. This debate is central to the issue of Trump Mass Firings.

There are an estimated 200,000 probationary workers–generally employees who have less than a year on the job–across federal agencies. About 15,000 are employed in California, providing services ranging from fire prevention to veterans’ care, the complaint says.

Unions have recently struck out with two other federal judges in similar lawsuits attempting to stop the Trump administration’s goal of vastly reducing the federal workforce. The ruling on Probationary Employees protects jobs and rights.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

• Trump Mass Firings blocked by a federal judge.
• The block affects thousands of US agency employees.
• The Office of Personnel Management lacks firing authority.
• The order resulted from a labor union petition.
• Probationary Employees were given relief.

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