In early February 2025, unions pursued two distinct responses to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE): a lawsuit seeking to block anticipated access to Labor Department systems and sensitive worker information, and an AFL-CIO public campaign branded the “Department of People Who Work for a Living.” The campaign was a rhetorical name, not a federal agency.
Did America’s unions sue DOGE?
Contemporaneous press coverage summarized by the Kentucky State AFL-CIO reported that the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the Economic Policy Institute filed suit on February 5, 2025. The reported challenge concerned anticipated DOGE access to Labor Department systems and sensitive worker information, and the plaintiffs sought to block that access. Kentucky State AFL-CIO press clips
Those filing details come from a secondary summary, not the complaint or a court docket. The available account does not establish the suit’s precise legal claims or what happened in court afterward, so it does not show whether a judge granted or denied the requested relief.
What was the “Department of People Who Work for a Living”?
It was the name of an AFL-CIO public-messaging campaign about DOGE’s reported policy effects on workers—not a government department. In a February 7, 2025 roundup, the AFL-CIO linked coverage of the effort and reproduced a statement from its president, Liz Shuler. AFL-CIO roundup
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Shuler framed the campaign around who government should serve: “The government can work for billionaires or it can work for working people—but not both.” AFL-CIO campaign statement
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How were the lawsuit and campaign connected?
They were parallel parts of a labor response reported in the same early-February period, but they had different aims and methods:
| Development | Purpose | Method | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reported lawsuit, filed February 5, 2025 | Seek to prevent anticipated access to Labor Department systems and sensitive worker information | Court filing, as summarized in contemporaneous press coverage | DOGE access to Labor Department data |
| AFL-CIO campaign, publicized in its February 7, 2025 roundup | Communicate worker-centered opposition to DOGE actions | Public messaging under a satirical campaign name | Reported effects of DOGE policies on workers |
The campaign did not file the lawsuit, and the available accounts do not say the lawsuit created the campaign. They show separate legal and communications efforts sharing a broader labor concern.
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