In today’s News and Commentary, union membership increased slightly last year, a Washington bill that would have created a formal pathway for farmworkers to unionize fails to make it out of committee, and unions in Argentina are striking to protest President Milei’s labor reform bill.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data yesterday indicating that union membership increased last year despite the Trump Administration’s ongoing attacks on federal workers. According to the data, there were approximately 500,000 more union members in 2025 than 2024. Union membership rose to 10% of US workers, while the percentage of workers covered by a union contract rose from 11.1% to 11.2%. The number of new workers organized through NLRB elections, however, fell almost 40% from the prior year.

A bill that would have given farmworkers in Washington a formal process to unionize failed to make it out of committee. The bill would have allowed farmworkers to organize under the state Public Employment Relations Commission. Washington PERC already covers agricultural cannabis workers. Legislation regarding collective bargaining for agricultural workers had not been introduced since 1992. Industry representatives argued that the bill would exacerbate the existing vulnerability of farms in the state.

Unions in Argentina called for a general strike today to protest President Milei’s labor reform bill that would weaken protections for workers. The strike corresponds with the lower house debate of the bill, which began today. According to the General Confederation of Labor, workers are striking to protest not only the bill but also the socioeconomic conditions broadly in Argentina. The 24-hour strikers join maritime workers who are engaged in a 48-hour strike protesting the same bill. Many industries are shut down, including banks, airports, and public transportation. Proponents of the bill have already had to remove several anti-union provisions, including a proposal to get rid of mandatory union contributions, in response to pressure from labor unions. But the bill still contains many anti-worker provisions, such as lengthening the workday from eight to 12 hours. A vote in the lower house is expected later today.