Federal Education Association files lawsuit challenging executive order banning federal workers’ right to collective bargaining

WASHINGTON — The Federal Education Association, representing thousands of educators who work in schools on military bases operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), filed a lawsuit today challenging Donald Trump’s executive order stripping federal workers of their statutory and contractual collective bargaining rights. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges the executive order as a violation of the First and Fifth Amendment rights of educators and their union under the U.S. Constitution, as well as an abuse of authority by both President Trump and his Defense Secretary, Peter Hegseth. 

“DoDEA educators provide military-connected families with a world-class education, and they deserve to be respected and honored for their high levels of achievement — not have their rights taken away and their academic freedom trampled upon,” said FEA Executive Director Richard Tarr. “Trump’s executive order doesn’t just break the law; it violates the U.S. Constitution. The Trump administration is attacking the very people who serve this country by educating the children of our service members on military bases at home and around the world.”

FEA members and other educators have used collective bargaining to advocate for student learning conditions, including smaller class sizes, more learning time, and increased staffing of school nurses, counselors, and mental health professionals. FEA filed the lawsuit with the Federal Education Association-Stateside Region and the Antilles Consolidated Education Association, joining other federal employee unions that have sued the Trump administration for the sweeping executive order. FEA is an affiliate of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest union with 3 million members.

“By attacking the rights of educators working on military bases, the Trump administration is silencing the voices of teachers and staff who demand the tools, resources, and learning conditions that students need to thrive,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “Trump’s executive orders are not just illegal; they undermine the education and opportunities of children and families who have already sacrificed so much for our nation. We are not going to sit by silently.”

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About the Federal Education Association
The Federal Education Association is a member-driven organization representing faculty and staff in the Department of Defense school system. With its headquarters in Washington, D.C., FEA is a global organization, representing thousands of Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) employees in Europe, Asia, the United States, and its territories. Our members include teachers and certified staff, Education Support Professionals (ESPs), and retirees. Find out more at www.feaonline.org.

About the National Education Association
The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org.