Despite Trump’s War on Workers, Labor Movement Notched Crucial Wins in 2025 |
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President Donald Trump launched a war against workers as soon as he reclaimed power in January 2025. Now, nearly a year into his second administration, it’s possible to take stock of the year’s notable victories and the challenges looming in 2026.
Some of the administration’s immediate moves included rescinding a Biden-era executive order that raised the minimum wage for federal workers, rolling back laws prohibiting workplace discrimination, pulling out of an international agreement that would have imposed a minimum tax on corporations, and killing dozens of workplace safety rules.
Some of Trump’s most vicious moves targeted immigrant workers, many of whom have been terrorized by the unrelenting barrage of ICE raids throughout their communities and workplaces.
“The administration’s worksite immigration enforcement actions are targeting underpaid immigrant workers from predominantly Indigenous, Latine, and Black communities who are already at high risk of exploitation by employers,” Marisa Díaz, the Immigrant Worker Justice Program director at the National Employment Law Project, told Truthout. “These attacks push vulnerable workers further into the shadows, reward exploitative employers who profit on violating workers’ rights, and make workplaces less safe for all. We call for an end to these raids and stand with all who are organizing for the dignity and safety of all workers.”
An Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report found that Trump’s deportation agenda will potentially eliminate 6 million jobs.
Things may become even more dire in 2026, as many Trump appointees are poised to wield power.
Wayne Palmer, a coal industry executive, will serve as the assistant secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. David Keeling will head the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Keeling previously oversaw health and safety protocols at Amazon and UPS, and the companies collectively racked up over 300 workplace safety citations and $2 million in OSHA fines while he was in charge. Andrew Rogers, a former attorney at the anti-union law firm Littler Mendelson, will serve as the next administrator of the Labor........