Donald Trump's Term Has So Far Been A Disaster For Workers

Trump has gutted labor rights, slashed the federal workforce, and opposed a minimum wage hike. But resistance is brewing.

By Sarah Anderson, In These Times

Donald Trump campaigned as a champion of working class voters. But straight out of the blocks, his policy choices have undermined workers at nearly every turn.

A recent fact sheet from the Institute for Policy Studies, Economic Policy Institute, and Repairers of the Breach rounds up the damage so far.

Trump started by illegally removing National Labor Relations Board Chair Gwynne Wilcox for allegedly favoring workers’ interests over employers. The NLRB cracks down on union busting and other abuses, but now it can’t function. A federal court ruled to reinstate Wilcox, but the Republican-dominated Supreme Court blocked this action while litigation is pending.

Through a series of executive orders, Trump has also removed long-standing job protections for federal career employees, making it easier to fire these workers for no reason and taking away the rights of federal workers to collectively bargain.

Trump’s assaults on union rights will have damaging ripple effects throughout our economy. Unionized workers earn on average 13.5 percent more than their non-unionized peers and enjoy better access to health care, paid sick leave, and retirement benefits. Without competition from these jobs, many employers may cut non-union wages and benefits even further.