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AFGE Union Sued EPA Over Contract Termination

The union seeks to restore a collective bargaining agreement that was terminated by the EPA in 2025.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Unions

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The American Federation of Government Employees has sued the EPA in federal court to challenge the 2025 termination of their collective bargaining agreement. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) filed a federal lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to restore a collective bargaining contract. The union alleges that the agency illegally terminated the agreement to repress political dissent.

Why it matters

The lawsuit challenges the agency's justification for ending the agreement, which served as a foundation for union representation and scientific integrity. The dispute highlights ongoing tensions regarding federal labor policies and employee protections.

The union represents 8,000 EPA workers, while the agency's total workforce has dropped to 12,700 since January 2025. This legal action follows an earlier arbitration victory regarding the discipline of 139 workers.

The players

AFGE

The American Federation of Government Employees is a major labor union that represents hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the United States.

Lee Zeldin

Lee Zeldin serves as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and is named as a defendant in the labor lawsuit.

AFGE Local 704

This local chapter of the union previously secured an arbitration ruling regarding the discipline of agency workers.

The details

The EPA terminated the contract in August 2025, citing an executive order aimed at federal collective bargaining agreements. The union asserts that the agency failed to provide a valid justification for the move, claiming it was a targeted effort to suppress political speech within the agency.

Timeline

  1. The collective bargaining agreement was effective from June 2024 through June 2028.

  2. The EPA terminated the collective bargaining agreement in August 2025.

  3. An arbitrator ruled in favor of AFGE Local 704 in September 2026.

  4. The union filed the lawsuit against the EPA on September 29, 2026.

Political Context

The administration maintains that the termination of the contract follows legal executive orders aimed at streamlining federal labor relations. Critics argue that these actions undermine the collective bargaining power established under the federal collective bargaining executive orders.

The outcome of this lawsuit could determine the future of labor representation and scientific integrity standards within the EPA. Federal employees and taxpayers may see shifts in agency oversight and workplace regulations based on the court's final ruling.

The takeaway

This case underscores the ongoing conflict between executive directives and established union contracts in the federal workplace. The resolution will likely clarify the extent of agency authority in modifying long-term labor agreements.

Further reading

For more background on labor relations in the public sector, visit the Unions section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by The Guardian.

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