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Last Week in Labor

Last Week in Labor: Dec. 27, 2025 - Jan. 2, 2026

Labor wins at the federal level, new leadership at the UMWA, and other headlines you may have missed.

Mel Buer

Mel Buer

— 8 min read
Last Week in Labor: Dec. 27, 2025 - Jan. 2, 2026
Image source.

Good afternoon, Friday afternoon. I hope everyone had wonderful New Year's celebrations, and got a chance to find a bit of rest over the holidays. We're back on track here at Words About Work, with a number of exciting developments (my podcast premiered today!) and another digest of labor headlines you may have missed during this last week.

Before I dive in, I do want to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported this newsletter over the last number of years, particularly in 2025. Life has been a bit tumultuous over the last year, and I am looking forward to settling into 2026 and achieving some goals that have been sitting on my shelf for some time. Now that we've crossed the threshold into the new year, I think I can finally be cautiously optimistic about it. As they say, "I do not regret to tell you that we are going to win."

Alright, onwards to the digest. If you're looking for the new episode of the podcast, a link to it will be at the bottom, so stick around. ;)

Notable News in Labor

A new California law gives the state more power over workplaces. Trump is suing to block it
A new California law taking effect Jan. 1, 2026 allows the state to regulate union organizing in private workplaces, a power normally held by the NLRB.
CalMattersLevi Sumagaysay
Labor’s year in review: Trump, biggest union-buster in history, dominates workers’ struggles
WASHINGTON—Workers faced one big, dominating, and dominant enemy in 2025: Donald Trump. Through a series of edicts and with the gleeful aid of a compliant congressional Republican majority and two henchmen—Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and multibillionaire chainsaw-wiel…
People's WorldMark Gruenberg
OHSU reaches tentative deal with AFSCME
If approved, the contract would raise wages 10% for 8,000 workers.
NW Labor PressAnna Del Savio
U.S. Senate confirms Trump picks for NLRB
Trump’s pick for NLRB top prosecutor is a partner at a law firm whose clients include notorious union-busters.
NW Labor PressDon McIntosh
Hockey strike over as PHPA and ECHL reach new Collective Bargaining Agreement
By Fox23.com News Staff TULSA, Okla. — The ECHL and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) have announced that they […]
102.3 KRMGJohn Filbeck
Regional Flight Attendants At Alaska Airlines Expect Strike Vote ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’ As Contract Talks Drag On
Horizon Air flight attendants prepare for a potential strike vote as contract negotiations with Alaska Airlines stall.
PYOKMateusz Maszczynski
2025: A Year-in-Review
In 2025, the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO stood with workers through a year shaped by resistance, resilience, and collective action.
New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
NewsGuild joins other unions and media justice groups in petition urging FCC to reject Nexstar’s takeover of TEGNA - Editor and Publisher
On Wednesday, The NewsGuild-CWA joined other labor unions and a coalition of media justice groups in a petition to the Federal Communications Commission to deny the merger of Nexstar Media Inc. with TEGNA Inc.
Editor and PublisherStaff | The NewsGuild-CWA
Postal workers waiting on heat protection more than two years after Dallas carrier’s death
More than two years after a North Texas postal worker died from heat exposure on the job, letter carriers say the United States Postal Service has yet to take…
The Dallas Morning NewsJoseph Morton
UNIFI Fresno Workers Vote to Join IAM Union in Fight for Raises, Work Rules, and Respect - IAM Union
The IAM Union is proud to welcome approximately 80 new members from UNIFI at the Fresno (Calif.) Yosemite International Airport, who voted to join the IAM Air Transport Territory on Dec. 3. The new members delivered a decisive mandate for representation. UNIFI Fresno employees, who assist with ground handling and aviation services, cited a lack
IAM Union
Rail workers warn that merger would yield injury and even death
It is no secret that irresponsible rail giants out for profits have visited injury and death on workers and massive destruction to communities around the country.
People's WorldCameron Harrison
2026 - New Year. New Leadership. - United Mine Workers of America
As the United Mine Workers of America enters a new year, we also begin a new chapter of leadership. This video introduces UMWA International President Brian Sanson and International Secretary-Treasurer Michael Phillippi, who share their vision for the union’s mission, strategy, and goals moving forward. 2026 marks a moment of renewal, new leadership, a shared […]
United Mine Workers of America

Unions Respond to Trump Administration

DHS agrees to push back plans to dissolve TSA union
The judge in the case had already issued a preliminary injunction blocking an earlier attempt by TSA to eliminate the union agreement.
Federal News NetworkMichele Sandiford
Despite Trump’s War on Workers, Labor Movement Notched Crucial Wins in 2025
As Trump prepares to escalate attacks on unions and immigrant workers, the labor movement must build power to stop him.
TruthoutZack Kligler
Ninth Circuit Says It Lacks Authority to Hear Amazon Challenge to NLRB Structure - USA Herald
A U.S. appeals court on Monday ruled that it lacks authority to hear Amazon.com’s constitutional challenge to the structure of the National Labor Relations Board, widening a growing split among federal circuits over similar lawsuits. A unanimous three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said Amazon’s lawsuit could
USA Herald - The People's VoiceTyler Brooks
Building Trades Unions Rally Against Trump’s Attacks on Wind
Construction unions are making clear that offshore wind is a win for workers and the environment. Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to block it are just another front in his war on workers.
Paul Prescod

Commentary & Analysis

American Labor Needed Unity. Then Came Trump’s Immigration Crackdown.
Trump has aimed to turn American workers against their immigrant colleagues. Union leaders say it backfired.
The InterceptJessica Washington
‘The Labor Force’ Working to Strengthen America’s Rising Union Movement
Explore how The Labor Force is strengthening America’s rising union movement in today’s challenging climate for labor rights.
BTLMelinda Tuhus
If the Government Can’t Ban Captive Audience Meetings, it Can’t Ban Pickets, Either ✦ OnLabor
In November 2024, the Biden NLRB disarmed employers of the “most important weapon” in their anti-union arsenals: the captive audience meeting. Held in the workplace during paid work hours, captive audience meetings are “captive” because employers require attendance — and acquiescence — at pain of discipline or discharge. Until last year, if an employee refused to attend a meeting, […]
OnLabor
Whatever Happened to Trump’s “Golden Age” for American Workers?
Although Donald Trump’s Department of Labor announced in April 2025 that “Trump’s Golden Age puts American workers first,” that contention is contradicted
CounterPunch.orgLawrence Wittner

The Union Bug Podcast

This week, we published the first episode of my new podcast, The Union Bug. Chris Garlock and Harold Phillips with the Labor Radio Podcast Network came on the show to talk about building worker-centered media and how the podcast format is uniquely suited to that project. It's a great episode!

If you want to stay updated on the podcast and receive notifications of new episodes, be sure to subscribe to The Union Bug Newsletter. If you're already a member, you can find it in your account settings. If you aren't subscribed to the newsletter, now's your chance to do it! You can also join with a paid sub for as little at $5/month.

Media by workers, for workers, with Chris Garlock and Harold Phillips
The Union Bug: Ep. 1
Words About WorkMel Buer

Looking Ahead...

If you’ve got a…

  • workshop,
  • seminar,
  • panel,
  • conference,
  • labor action,
  • strike,
  • protest
  • walkout,
  • negotiation,
  • sit-in,
  • or other item you’d like eyes on, shoot me a message.

Send me an email at melbuer@proton.me or hit my DMs on Bluesky. I'll get your flyer in the newsletter.

That's all I've got this week. I'm feeling particularly rested after the holidays and I hope you are too. Here's to a better 2026.

In love and solidarity,

Mel

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