Labor unions have become a cornerstone of our nation. Whether we live in red states or blue states, in big cities or small towns, most of us agree that working people deserve the freedom to join together to demand decent working conditions and a fair return on their work. 

We have generations of labor movement activists to thank for our nation’s progress regarding working people’s rights. Back in the early 1900s, most laborers worked 12 – and 16-hour shifts, 6 days/week; children as young as 5 years old toiled in factories and mines; and miners were constantly exposed to toxic gases, cave-ins, and explosions. It took decades of courageous people joining together to fight for their rights and freedoms that brought us the 8-hour workday, child labor laws, health and safety protections, and the right to unionize. In 1962, federal employees finally achieved the right to collective bargaining.

Last February, in a flagrant disregard for American workers, Trump fired thousands of government employees. When the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) spoke out against Trump’s firing of government workers and shuttering of federal agencies, Trump retaliated by trying to strip federal workers of their freedom to unionize. He signed an executive order to terminate collective bargaining rights for employees in the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, and others. Those affected included nurses, biologists, and public-land rangers. 

Everett Kelley, National President of the AFGE called Trump’s executive order “a disgraceful and retaliatory attack on the rights of hundreds of thousands of patriotic American civil servants — nearly one-third of whom are veterans — simply because they are members of a union that stands up to his harmful policies.” 

The Department of Homeland Security also announced in March it was ending the collective bargaining agreement with tens of thousands of frontline employees at the Transportation Security Administration.

The MAGA regime’s plan to take down unions is part of their larger agenda to steal from working people in order to enrich their billionaire backers – and to silence anyone who dares speak out or fight back against their plan. Whether they are stealing our Social Security, destroying our schools, abducting our neighbors, or prohibiting our public servants from collective bargaining, it’s all part of their efforts to dismantle democracy and construct a government of, by, and for the billionaires.

Trump’s erratic and foolish announcements about tariffs are another example of his assault on the working families of America. These tariffs are expected to exacerbate unemployment as well as increase the costs of everyday items from groceries to car repairs. Low-income families will be impacted most. 

During the tariff debacle, Trump demonstrated his utter indifference to ordinary Americans. As his announcements destroyed trillions of dollars in stock values and plummeted people’s retirement savings, Trump was off gallivanting on another golfing vacation and dining with his ultra-rich donors. 

On April 5, people across the nation gathered together to demand an end to this looting of ordinary Americans to further line the pockets of billionaires. Over 1,200 “Hands off” events took place across the nation, with rallies and marches in every single state. Over 100,000 people showed up in D.C., 250,000 in Chicago, and about 2,000 in Glenwood Springs! 

We know from history that fighting this fascist power grab will require that we keep showing up and keep expanding our coalition of people willing to express their opposition to this hostile takeover of our government. Given the harms the Trump/Musk regime has wrought on working people, another nation-wide protest is appropriately scheduled for May Day, which is celebrated in dozens of countries around the world to commemorate the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement. 

Whether you’re currently working or retired, whether you have children of your own or others you care about, working people’s rights are the bedrock of a healthy society. When people can work for a decent wage, and under decent conditions, their families will flourish and our communities will thrive. 

Check out MayDayStrong.org and learn more about protests being planned and how you can stand in solidarity with the working families of our nation.

Debbie Bruell of Carbondale is a former chair of the Garfield County Democrats and is a past member of the Roaring Fork Schools Board of Education.