US judge halts Trump’s plan to lay off thousands of federal workers as shutdown strains aviation sector
WASHINGTON: A US federal judge in San Francisco on Wednesday (Oct 15) blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from proceeding with mass layoffs of government employees during the ongoing shutdown, offering temporary relief to thousands of federal workers as the 15-day standoff begins to disrupt air travel and safety operations.
US District Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco granted a request by two major unions to halt the layoffs at more than 30 federal agencies while she reviews claims that the dismissals are politically motivated and unlawful.
“The hatchet is falling on the heads of employees all across the nation, and you’re not even prepared to address whether that’s legal,” Illston told a Justice Department lawyer during the hearing. She said public comments by Trump and White House Budget Director Russell Vought, including references to targeting “Democrat agencies,” suggested “explicit political motivations” behind the cuts.
“You can’t do that in a nation of laws,” said Illston, a Clinton appointee.
LAYOFFS AND LEGAL CHALLENGE
The Trump administration has been seeking to downsize the federal workforce during the shutdown, now in its second week, part of the president’s push to “drain the swamp.”
About 4,100 federal workers at eight agencies have already received layoff notices, according to a court filing by the administration, with the White House saying as many as 10,000 employees could lose their jobs if the shutdown continues.
Trump on Wednesday signed an order extending a freeze on new federal hires, except for military personnel and political appointees.
The unions which including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), argue that the layoffs violate labor laws, since job cuts are not considered an “essential service” during a funding lapse.
“This is a cruel and unlawful attack on civil servants who keep the government running,” said Skye Perryman, president of the legal group Democracy Forward, which represents the unions.
Illston ordered the administration to provide by Friday a full accounting of planned or ongoing layoffs and steps taken to comply with her injunction.
AVIATION INDUSTRY WARNS OF GROWING RISKS
The shutdown has also alarmed aviation officials, with the head of the Airlines for America trade group warning that ongoing disruptions could soon threaten passenger safety.
“It’s got to stop like now, because every day that goes by, the pressures get higher, the risks get higher,” said Chris Sununu, the group’s CEO and a former governor of New Hampshire.
Sununu said air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are working without pay, and financial strain could worsen in the coming days.
“I think it’ll really hit ahead, probably about a week and a half from now, when that first zero paycheck comes,” Sununu told Reuters. “Most people can survive a couple of weeks, but after three, that just puts real strain on the system.”
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA officers received only partial pay earlier this week and could miss their next paycheck if the shutdown drags on.
The Air Line Pilots Association and National Air Traffic Controllers Association have also called for a swift end to the funding impasse, citing increased sick calls and thousands of flight delays since the start of the shutdown.
POLITICAL STANDOFF CONTINUES
Trump’s Republicans control both chambers of Congress but need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate to pass a funding bill. Democrats are demanding an extension of health insurance subsidies before approving new spending.
The White House and congressional negotiators failed again on Wednesday to reach a compromise.
Sununu urged lawmakers to pass a temporary continuing resolution to reopen the government, even as larger healthcare and budget debates continue.
“I don’t care about the politics,” he said. “If the system comes to a screeching halt for whatever reason, that’s felt on a worldwide scale. Hopefully they’ll realize it before we get there.”
