Amid ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to slash the size and scope of the federal government, a group of unions and labor movement allies on Wednesday announced the launch of a legal defense network to assist federal workers who have been dismissed by the administration and has already trained hundreds of lawyers as part of the project.
The project, called "Rise Up: Federal Workers Legal Defense Network," offers federal workers who have been "wrongfully terminated" or are still at their jobs but are concerned about their employment rights the opportunity to connect with free legal support.
The Federal Workers Legal Defense Network has trained over 1,000 lawyers so far to assist workers with pro bono support, Mia Jacobs, the director of media relations for the AFL-CIO, told Common Dreams.
"Attacks on federal workers are attacks on all workers and on the essential services that our communities rely on daily," said AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler in a statement released Wednesday. "Getting these workers the justice they deserve in the face of this onslaught will take all of us... This new network is a critical tool empowering federal workers to fight back. When we come together, we are stronger than any of us alone."
In addition to the AFL-CIO, the network is supported by several unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the National Federation of Federal Employees, and the National Treasury Employees Union.
The legal groups like the American Constitution Society, We the Action, and Democracy Forward are partners on the project, as is the civil rights coalition the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
Democracy Forward and unions such as AFGE have been among the groups most active in countering the Trump administration through court challenges.
Workers seeking assistance can sign up for a brief, free screening phone call with a lawyer, during which the lawyer will determine whether the network is able to help and offer guidance on possible next steps. Depending on the worker's situation, they may be eligible for a free one hour consultation with a lawyer. Any additional legal services after that point are negotiated directly between the lawyer and the worker and may be free, offered at a reduced cost, or offered at the attorney's normal billing rate, according to the network's website.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, tens of thousands of workers across the federal government have either left their jobs, been placed on leave, or fired as part of the Trump administration's broadside against the federal government. Billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has played a key role in this effort to gut the federal workforce.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has been gutted to the point that it is on its way to completely shutting down, while nine other agencies have lost at least 10% of their staff, according to The New York Times, which reported that the latest available information suggests that the reductions may now impact at least 12% of the 2.4 million civilian federal workers. The Times' tally of "confirmed cuts" includes those who may have been reinstated thanks to legal challenges or agency reversals.
“The Rise Up Network will build on existing efforts to ensure federal workers have the legal support they need to fight back, continue to serve the American people and our Constitution, and support our communities," said Skye Perryman, the president and CEO of Democracy Forward, in a Wednesday statement.
