
John Fry is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, DOGE staffers eye NLRB for potential reorganization; attacks on federal workforce impact Trump-supporting areas; and Utah governor acknowledges backlash to public-sector union ban.
Bloomberg Law reported on Monday that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency staffers who have been assigned to inspect the National Labor Relations Board have been involved in the Trump administration’s efforts earlier this year to dismantle other federal agencies (such as the National Endowment for the Humanities), a potential harbinger of changes to come at the NLRB. DOGE members Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox, now assigned to the NLRB, have been accused in court of wielding unlawful authority over the United States Institute of Peace, for example. As Mila covered last week, DOGE has already been accused of improperly accessing confidential data at the NLRB.
Meanwhile, Trump’s attacks on the federal workforce are alarming unionized federal employees—including many who voted for Trump. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Trump’s aggressive moves to fire federal employees and strip their unions of rights have alarmed union members in places like Oakdale, Louisiana, leading to “buyer’s remorse” and disputes over what messaging the unions should employ in response. Union leaders seek to use the opportunity to organize their existing members more strongly.
Utah governor Spencer Cox signed a bill banning all collective bargaining for state employees in February—but after a public backlash, Cox now says he “didn’t like the bill.” As Mila covered last week, unions have gathered over 300,000 signatures—the most ever collected in Utah history—to place a referendum on the ballot to restore public-sector collective bargaining for teachers, firefighters, and other public employees. Cox called the signature tally “very impressive,” remarking: “It’s called organized labor for a reason. They’re actually organized.”
Daily News & Commentary
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July 3
California compromises with unions on housing; 11th Circuit rules against transgender teacher; Harvard removes hundreds from grad student union.
July 2
Block, Nanda, and Nayak argue that the NLRA is under attack, harming democracy; the EEOC files a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by former EEOC Commissioner Jocelyn Samuels; and SEIU Local 1000 strikes an agreement with the State of California to delay the state's return-to-office executive order for state workers.
July 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Department of Labor proposes to roll back minimum wage and overtime protections for home care workers, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit by public defenders over a union’s Gaza statements, and Philadelphia’s largest municipal union is on strike for first time in nearly 40 years. On Monday, the U.S. […]
June 30
Antidiscrimination scholars question McDonnell Douglas, George Washington University Hospital bargained in bad faith, and NY regulators defend LPA dispensary law.
June 29
In today’s news and commentary, Trump v. CASA restricts nationwide injunctions, a preliminary injunction continues to stop DOL from shutting down Job Corps, and the minimum wage is set to rise in multiple cities and states. On Friday, the Supreme Court held in Trump v. CASA that universal injunctions “likely exceed the equitable authority that […]
June 27
Labor's role in Zohran Mamdani's victory; DHS funding amendment aims to expand guest worker programs; COSELL submission deadline rapidly approaching