US union elections declined in 2025 after Trump hobbled labor board

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Wed 11 Feb 2026 08.00 EST
Last modified on Wed 11 Feb 2026 08.01 EST


The number of union elections overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) dropped 30% in 2025 after the Trump administration left the federal labor watchdog powerless, according to an analysis released on Wednesday.

The number of workers participating in union elections dropped by 59,000, a 42% decline compared with the year prior, according to the report from the Center for American Progress. The total number of union elections fell from a 10-year high of 2,124 in 2024 to 1,498 in 2025. The success rate in union elections also dropped to 69.8% in 2025, after rising to 72% in 2023.

The NLRB presides over enforcing labor law in the private sector, including conducting union elections and enforcing the National Labor Relations Act. Workers file to hold an election with the NLRB once they have agreed to form a union but their employer doesn’t voluntarily recognize it.

Since the start of his second term, Trump has made unprecedented moves to freeze the board. Days after taking office, Trump fired NLRB board member Gwynne Wilcox, leaving the board without a quorum needed to make decisions. When Trump eventually restored a quorum, he appointed two Republicans to fill the vacant seats, creating a conservative majority.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/labor-relations-board-nlrb-unions-trump

[GreenWave]

1. They must stand strong against evil.

[Crowman2009]

2. You can thank the Trump-loving presidents of the Teamsters and Longshoremen for this nonsense.

People always talk about Latinos for Trump being the biggest backstabbers of the last election. But no one talks abouts these two assholes stabbing organized labor in the back as well.

[mdbl]

4. And they aren't the only ones

I watched union members all across the southeast act like the benefits, pay and vacation time the received has nothing to do with their contract. You can't get any more stupid than that.

[popsdenver]

3. De Ja Vue all over again

Exactly what Reagan did in the early 80's, starting with PATCO.........which was the shot heard round the entire U.S. that the NLRB was castrated, and ALL unions across the country started dropping like flies.

A friend was in the Denver Electricians Union, and his earnings dropped from 22 and hour with 26% Fringe, to a flat 12 an hour, with no benefits........15-20 years later, it FINALLY got back to 22 an hour and 10% fringe........

Since Trump's first term, he and DeJoy have been trying to destroy the USPS, so UPS and FedEx can take over.....
Everyone is missing the fact that as a win-win, one of the largest Unions in the U.S. will be obliterated...........

[Crowman2009]

5. Reagan and post WW2 red scare set back labor unions about several decades.