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In the video above, I go into more detail about Trump’s plans to harm America’s workers. Please give it a watch.
Donald Trump was born rich. Donald Trump has never worked a day in his life for someone who did not have the last name of Trump. The current president is the most detached person from the real-life experience of working people to occupy the Oval Office in modern history.
Trump also holds workers in the highest contempt, and as president, his agenda in both of his terms has been stridently anti-worker, not just anti-union, but anti-worker. Trump harms workers whether they belong to a union or not.
The Trump administration will roll out 60 rule changes after Labor Day, which will be devastating for millions of American workers.
Trump will end overtime and minimum wage protections for 3.7 million home healthcare workers. The Obama administration closed a loophole in the Fair Labor Standards Act that had denied home healthcare workers the minimum wage and overtime protections. Trump will be reversing that rule, with the deadline for public comment at the Department of Labor being September 2.
The Biden administration submitted a draft rule to the Department of Labor that would have nationally ended the ability of corporations to seek a waiver to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage. Trump is reversing that rule, and the result will be that some workers with disabilities may earn as little as $4/hour.
The Trump administration also plans to weaken mine safety standards and construction workplace safety standards. Trump also intends to weaken workplace safety inspections and penalties for violations.
One mistake that Democrats often make is limiting conversations about workers and their rights to unions. Private sector unionization declined to 5.9% in 2024. When Democrats limit the conversation about workers’ rights to the ability to join a union, they are ignoring the nearly 94% of workers who aren’t unionized.
Worker rights are more than union rights. All workers should have a minimum wage and safe workplaces. Democrats need to expand their conversation to connect issues that matter to all working people, such as better wages, improved access to healthcare, lower health insurance costs, and the protection and expansion of Social Security under the umbrella of the fundamental rights of every American worker, whether they are union or not.
These are issues that matter to every worker. Trump’s assault on workers isn’t limited to unions. Trump is a threat to the wages and workplace safety of workers, both union and non-union.
Having a pro-worker president matters. Americans are about to discover how vital it is in the days ahead.
What do you think about Trump attacking worker rights on Labor Day? Share your thoughts in the comments below.