President Trump has launched a sweeping assault on worker rights since taking office in January 2025. The administration has stripped union rights from hundreds of thousands of federal employees and weakened key labor protections.
The attacks began immediately after inauguration. Trump fired National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Board Member Gwynne Wilcox in an unprecedented move. No president had ever fired a board member before in the NLRB’s 90-year history.
Wilcox’s removal left the NLRB without a quorum to make decisions. This paralyzed the agency that handles private sector worker rights cases. The board needs three members to function but now has only two.
Federal Workers Lose Union Rights
Trump targeted federal workers from the start. In March, he issued an executive order stripping collective bargaining rights from over one million federal employees at more than 30 agencies. The order affected workers in national security roles across the government.
The administration expanded these attacks in August. A new executive order removed union rights from workers at NASA, the National Weather Service, and other agencies. These workers lost the ability to negotiate working conditions and workplace disputes.
TSA workers faced similar treatment. The administration stripped union rights from 50,000 transportation security officers in February. However, a federal judge blocked this action in June, finding it likely violated the law.
Courts Push Back on Union Busting
Legal challenges have slowed some of Trump’s anti-union efforts. Federal judges issued preliminary injunctions blocking several executive orders targeting federal workers. Courts found the administration failed to provide proper justification for these actions.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and other unions filed multiple lawsuits. Union leaders called the attacks unconstitutional and retaliatory against workers who challenged administration policies.
Meanwhile, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in August that the NLRB’s structure is likely unconstitutional. The decision could fundamentally change how the agency operates if upheld by the Supreme Court.
Wages and Benefits Under Attack
Trump has moved aggressively to cut worker pay and benefits. In March, he rescinded an executive order requiring federal contractors to pay workers at least $15 per hour. This cut wages for thousands of contract workers by 25 to 60 percent.
The administration is also targeting home care workers. A proposed rule would strip minimum wage and overtime protections from over 1.5 million home care workers. These workers are predominantly women and people of color who already earn low wages.
The Department of Labor (DOL) has abandoned defending Biden-era rules that expanded overtime pay for 4.3 million workers. Courts had already blocked some of these protections before Trump took office.
Workplace Safety Cuts
Trump has weakened worker safety protections across multiple agencies. His budget calls for a 30 percent reduction in OSHA workplace inspections. The administration also cut the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) workforce from 1,400 employees to 150.
The administration stalled a proposed rule to protect workers from heat-related illness. This rule would have required employers to provide water, shade, and rest breaks during heat waves. Each year, 600 workers die from heat-related causes.
Trump also weakened mine safety rules and stopped enforcement of protections against dangerous silica exposure. These changes put workers at greater risk of injury and death on the job.
Civil Rights Protections Eliminated
The administration has gutted workplace civil rights protections. Trump fired two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) commissioners and the agency’s general counsel. He also defunded the agency that ensures federal contractors follow equal employment laws.
Trump rescinded executive orders enforcing anti-discrimination protections for federal workers. His administration has threatened to target corporations that continue diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Immigration Raids Target Workers
The administration has conducted widespread workplace raids targeting immigrant workers. These operations have detained restaurant staff, farm workers, construction workers, and delivery drivers. The raids create fear among all immigrant workers, making them more vulnerable to abuse.
New policies make it harder to get work permits, visas, and green cards. This leaves millions of immigrant workers with fewer legal protections against predatory employment practices.
Economic Impact on Working Families
Trump’s policies are hurting working families economically. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates his spending bill will reduce income for the bottom 20 percent of families by 4 percent. The AFL-CIO calculated that Medicaid cuts alone will cost 880,000 jobs.
Health insurance costs in the Affordable Care Act marketplace are expected to spike 18 percent next year. Household electric bills have risen 10 percent due to attacks on renewable energy. Student loan burdens are leaving millions facing wage garnishment.
Resistance Grows Among Workers
Opposition to Trump’s anti-worker agenda is mounting. Seventy percent of Americans support unions according to polls. Most Americans have turned against Trump’s immigration raids as they affect local communities.
Labor unions are fighting back through the courts and organizing. AFGE President Everett Kelley said the administration’s actions represent “a clear threat not just to federal employees and their unions, but to every American who values democracy”.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler vowed that “the labor movement is not about to let Trump and an unelected billionaire destroy what we’ve fought for generations to build”.
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Looking Ahead
Trump’s assault on workers continues to face legal challenges and public opposition. Courts have blocked several key initiatives, but the administration keeps finding new ways to attack worker rights and protections.
The fate of many policies will depend on ongoing court cases and the Supreme Court’s eventual rulings. Workers and unions are mobilizing to defend their rights through legal action and public pressure.
As Trump escalates his attacks on workers, the resistance is also growing stronger. The outcome of this conflict will shape American labor relations for years to come.
