SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge in San Francisco on Thursday found that the mass firings of probationary employees were likely unlawful, granting temporary relief to a coalition of labor unions and organizations that has sued to stop the Trump administration’s massive dismantling of the federal workforce.

Thousands of workers have been fired by the Trump administration as part of its effort to slash the federal workforce.

A California federal judge said that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management lacked the power to order federal agencies to fire any workers, including probationary employees who typically have less than a year of experience.

The order by Judge William Alsup, who called the OPM directive "illegal," does not reinstate any recently dismissed government employees, but it could affect future attempts at firings.