The new era of labor power might be coming to a close
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
President-elect Trump may have been a pro-union candidate, but whether he'll be a pro-union president remains to be seen.
Why it matters: We're in the middle of a winning era for workers and unions, but with Trump's track record on labor during his first term — that time might be coming to an end.
- It's likely a raft of Biden-era labor regulations, some facing steep court challenges, are on the chopping block.
The big picture: Trump's populist economic messaging seemed to resonate.
- While most union leaders endorsed Vice President Harris, members in the more blue-collar unions were less enthusiastic.
- Trump picked up support from rank-and-file members, particularly in more traditional male-dominated unions.
By the numbers: At least one early exit poll shows that 54% of union households voted Democratic — a majority, but not the kind of healthy margin that pushes a candidate over the line.
- Democrats typically need 60% of the union vote to win presidential elections, said John Logan, a labor historian at San Francisco State University.
Reality check: In his first term in office, Trump was anti-worker — placing people with anti-union track records at the National Labor Relations Board and Department of Labor.
- Both agencies made moves viewed as harmful to workers during Trump's term like limiting overtime protections.
- Peter Robb, NLRB general counsel under Trump, even tried to curtail the use of "Scabby," the inflatable rat that unions use during strikes.
"There's nothing in his record that suggests that he stands up for working people. Especially working people in unions," said Sharon Block, a former official in President Obama's Labor Department and at the NLRB.
Yes, but: Trump's second administration could take a friendlier view given his warmer ties this cycle.
- "We're in uncharted territory," said Michael Lotito, co-chair of Littler's Workplace Policy Institute, at a pre-election webinar last week about the election and workplace issues.
For the record: "President Trump will once again fight to put more money in workers pockets, negotiate good trade deals around the world, and protect good paying union jobs here at home," Karoline Leavitt, Trump campaign national press secretary, said in a statement.
The bottom line: Teamsters president Sean O'Brien — who courted controversy when he spoke at the Republican National Convention, and then declined to endorse a presidential candidate, put it this way in a statement:
- "The Republicans, under the leadership of Donald Trump, indicated throughout the campaign that they want to be the party of working people. The campaign is over. It's time for Republicans to show up for American workers and American unions."
