Worker Policy Watch
Your source for accurate and reliable information on how federal policies are shaping workers’ rights—and what’s at stake for working people nationwide under the Trump administration.
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Trump Administration Adds Additional Limitations on Use of Project Labor Agreements
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, architect of Project 2025, issued a memorandum adding new limitations on the use of project labor agreements in federal construction projects.
Impact:
Project labor agreements are pre-hire collective bargaining agreements that set the terms of employment for a particular construction project. These agreements often promote fair pay and working conditions and set the stage for effective collaboration between the project managers and labor unions. Limitations on the use of these agreements could result in job sites with lower pay and more unsafe conditions for workers.
DOL is Considering Stripping Home Care Workers of Rights to Minimum Wage and Overtime
This workforce, which is largely populated by women of color and immigrants, was finally granted federal minimum wage and overtime rights in 2015.
Impact:
Despite enjoying these rights for a decade, this administration clearly has no respect for the grueling and important work done by the over two million home care workers in this country. If DOL repeals these rights, home care workers will see less pay and be forced to work longer hours, endangering their physical health and safety and possibly the health and safety of the people they care for.
DOL Signals Intention to Change Course on Prevailing Wage Regulations
In a court filing in litigation related to its regulation implementing the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) stated that the agency is reconsidering its position on the rule.
Impact:
This could signal that the Trump administration plans to rescind or change the regulation. In 2023, the Biden administration updated the Davis-Bacon regulations, aiming to ensure that workers on federally funded projects are paid fair wages. Rolling back these updates would harm the workers building our nation’s infrastructure and disrupt projects building roads, bridges, and factories that create jobs and support our communities.
DOL Signals It Will Reconsider the 2024 Biden-era Overtime Regulation
In a filing in the 5th Circuit appeal of the overtime regulation case, DOL requested a stay of the appeal of the overtime regulation defense, stating that it is reconsidering the Biden overtime regulation, signaling that it will likely walk away from defending at least the July 2024 salary threshold increase.
Impact:
Bowing to business pressure, the Trump DOL will likely decline to extend overtime protections to at least three million workers.
Trump Rescinds the “Good Jobs” Biden Executive Order that Required Union Neutrality from Federal Contractors and Gave a Preference in Awarding Contracts to Companies that used Registered Apprenticeship Programs
The Biden era EO rewarded companies that recognized when workers wanted to form a union and that trained their workforces while paying them good wages.
Impact:
With the recsission of the Biden EO, companies that engage in union busting and pay low wages to their trainees will now have an advantage in securing federal contracts.
Trump Rescinds Biden-era Executive Order Mandating that All Federal Contract Workers are Paid at Least $15 per hour
Federal tax dollars, which pay for federal contract employment, shouldn't be used to create poverty level jobs. Federal contractors who work in concessions, janitorial services, parks services, and other important jobs, no longer have a guarantee of at least $15 per hour.
Impact:
This order will likely result in lower pay for federal contract workers.
Trump Revokes Biden EO Establishing Infrastructure Law Implementation Task Force
Trump revokes the Biden EO that paved the way for the jobs created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to be good jobs, with high wages, excellent benefits, and the freedom to join a union.
Impact: The Trump administration’s reversal is aimed at reducing job quality for those working on the effective implementation of the Act, which allocated billions of dollars to federally funded infrastructure projects in the states. Poor jobs will mean it is harder to find qualified workers and will impede progress on rebuilding our nation's often crumbling infrastructure.