"The Patent Office Professional Association (POPA) - the patent examiner union - filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on September 2, 2025, challenging President Trump's executive order that stripped collective bargaining rights from USPTO patent examiners by designating them as "national security" workers. The lawsuit (which also includes the National Weather Service Employees Organization as a plaintiff) presents a direct constitutional challenge"
"An important data point: Following Donald Trump's election victory in November 2024, but before his January 2025 inauguration, POPA successfully negotiated an enhanced collective bargaining agreement with the outgoing Biden administration. This agreement strengthened remote work protections and provided additional job security guarantees for patent examiners who meet performance requirements. While under the agreement patent examiners continue to face termination for failing to meet USPTO's fairly rigorous production and quality standards, the agreement provides important protections"
POPA filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on September 2, 2025, challenging an executive order that stripped collective bargaining rights from USPTO patent examiners by designating them as national security workers. The National Weather Service Employees Organization joined as a plaintiff. The complaint alleges presidential retaliation against federal employee organizations for opposing administration policies through grievance proceedings and public advocacy. POPA has represented patent examiners for decades and negotiates agreements covering working conditions, performance standards, telework, and grievance procedures. POPA negotiated an enhanced collective bargaining agreement after the 2024 election that strengthened remote work protections and job-security guarantees while retaining termination for inadequate performance.
Read at Patently-O
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]