March 2025 – As the implications of a second Trump presidency grow clearer, America’s labour movement has emerged as an organised, vital, and effective force defending democracy against a sweeping authoritarian agenda, says the Public Services International (PSI) global union federation. The unions that form the backbone of the workforce – from teachers and nurses to service workers and government employees- have evolved from advocating for workers’ rights to leading the fight to protect democracy, directly challenging the existential threat posed by Project 2025’s efforts to dismantle key American institutions.
In this struggle, organised labour’s resistance extends beyond unionism – it has become a defense of the social contract itself. By leveraging their collective power through strikes, lawsuits, legislative efforts, and voter mobilisation, unions are fighting not only for fair contracts and benefits but for the very foundation of democracy. Their successes – whether in the courtroom or the workplace – serve as both a blueprint and an inspiration for broader efforts to protect democracy in the U.S. and around the world.