As the United States observes its first Labor Day under the Trump administration, workers and labor advocates criticize a series of policies that they argue undermine worker rights and protections. There are real things the Trump administration is doing or has done that most Americans would agree hurt American workers. This should send chilling signals to every advocate calling for stronger labor rights and safety standards.
One of the most controversial things Trump did was to rescind the Executive Order requiring federal contractors to pay all of their workers a $17.75/hour floor. This religious liberty action ignited a fierce counter reaction. This decision has sparked outrage among labor unions and advocates who argue that it compromises fair wages for millions of workers.
Additionally, Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign has slowed efforts by President Biden to implement protections for workers facing extreme heat conditions. This lag time has a disproportionate impact on outdoor laborers—those working in extreme temperature conditions—and increases the risk of heat-related illness and death.
“That’s the largest single act of union-busting in our history.” – AFL-CIO’s Shuler
The administration’s proposal to revoke minimum wage and overtime protections for 3.7 million home-care and domestic workers has drawn sharp criticism. Advocates fear these workers—predominantly women of color in caregiving professions—who are already undervalued and underpaid, will be even more marginalized.
Yet it has been Trump’s policies that have completely ripped apart a big Biden initiative. This effort helped stop employers from being able to pay disabled workers less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. This ruling has huge consequences for all the marginalized people who rely on paid family and medical leave to help them survive.
Specifically, in 2017, then-Secretary of Labor Trump stopped the enforcement of a regulation designed to protect miners from silicosis. This devastating lung disease is the result of exposure to dust. This freeze, coupled with a cut in staffing by 12% at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), raises alarms about worker safety in hazardous environments.
Retweet on Twitter TTrump’s radical deportation strategy would target a million immigrants a year for removal. This callous approach would lead to an estimated 5.9 million jobs lost over the next four years. This loss would fall hardest on industries that depend on immigrant labor, worsening current labor shortages.
His administration has since rescinded protected status for many Venezuelans and other immigrants, making the workforce landscape even more difficult. These rule-making actions have driven an unprecedented response from the labor advocacy sector to raise alarm on the future security of American workers.
Corey Mahoney, a cargo handler, expressed his discontent with how Trump’s policies have affected working conditions in warehouses, illustrating the real-world impact of political decisions on laborers’ livelihoods.
“He doesn’t realize that normal people who are just trying to make a living aren’t happy with what he’s doing.” – Corey Mahoney
Nevertheless, Trump has so far avoided these substantive critiques and has continued to tout his policies as the ones that materially benefit American workers. He recently draped a large banner outside the US Department of Labor bearing his portrait and the slogan “American Workers First” in celebration of Labor Day.
Taylor Rogers, a spokesperson for Trump’s administration, stated, “The American worker has been left behind by the Democrat party for years, but President Trump has championed an agenda that puts the American worker first.” By Trump’s example, she argues that Republicans are once again becoming the party of the working-class people.
Labor leaders remain skeptical. Shuler lamented that the condition of working Americans today is indicative of a continued assault on their collective bargaining rights. At a recent TEACH conference, she illustrated how things are promised to improve working conditions and wages, what’s often asked is to settle for far less.
“We want cheaper groceries, and we get tanks on our streets. We want more affordable healthcare, and we get 16 million Americans about to be kicked off their coverage.” – AFL-CIO president Shuler
AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler amplified this concern, slamming Trump’s attack on labor rights and noting how troubling the quick pace of the rollbacks regulation is. She pointed to how Trump has repeatedly denied working Americans a raise, despite professing to be on their side.
“We knew it would be bad, but we had no idea how rapidly he would be doing these things. He is stripping away regulations that protect workers.” – Liz Shuler
The Labor Day celebrations underscored the continuing struggle to keep worker rights at the forefront. In many ways, this conflict cannot be more diametrically opposed to an administration that most people believe is becoming more hostile to those rights. The implications of these policies will be felt deep into industry and communities nationwide.