To Stop Trump, Unions Need Joint Campaigns and a Shared Vision

[Passages]

by Alex Caputo-Pearl and Jackson Potter
October 30, 2025

History shows us that when authoritarianism rears its head, whether it takes root depends on the labor movement’s response. That’s why unions must be at the center of the burgeoning anti-authoritarian movement that’s on display in efforts to build a broader pro-democracy coalition under banners like “No Kings” and “Workers Over Billionaires.”

But we have to be clear-eyed: our labor movement isn’t in fighting shape. Most of our unions do not have recent muscle memory of striking or taking confrontational collective action. We must build up to strike readiness through greater organizing and collaboration by large locals and labor councils, and through escalating direct actions involving members and non-members alike.

As Trump’s authoritarianism escalates, we have to broaden our tent to include labor-community coalitions. We have to draw on a range of tactics, like consumer boycotts, sickouts, and slow-downs. We need to reenergize union structures at the national, state, and local levels and line up political and contract demands.

And as Trump tries to snuff out an already-shrinking labor movement, unions have to pay attention not only to their role in defending society, but also to defending the rights of union and non-unionized workers under assault.
https://prospect.org/2025/10/30/to-stop-trump-unions-need-joint-campaigns-shared-vision/