A US federal judge has denied a union’s request to temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s mass firing of government workers. The decision, made by District Judge Christopher Cooper, clears the way for the Trump administration to continue its plan to slash the government workforce.
Around 6,700 workers at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) who were on probationary status have already been laid off. The affected employees, mostly part of the IRS’s enforcement teams, were let go less than two months before the US income tax filing deadline.
The National Treasury Employees Union and four other unions had asked Cooper to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent the termination of their members who are probationary employees. However, Cooper ruled that his court lacks jurisdiction to hear their claims and that they should instead be brought before the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
The mass firings are part of Trump’s plan to reduce the government workforce. The move has been met with resistance from unions and some lawmakers, who argue that it will harm the government’s ability to function effectively.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), run by Elon Musk, has been instrumental in implementing the mass firings. However, the legality of Musk’s actions has been questioned by some, with 14 Democratic-ruled states filing a suit to contest his authority.
