A federal agency that mediates labor disputes, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), has effectively shut down following an executive order from Donald Trump. The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) implemented the closure, placing employees on administrative leave with firings expected to follow. FMCS, which has operated since 1947, played a key role in preventing and resolving labor disputes, including last year’s Boeing strike. Critics argue that the shutdown will worsen labor strikes and lockouts, despite FMCS costing just 0.0014% of the federal budget while saving the economy hundreds of millions annually.
See "Doge shutters federal workplace mediator agency after Trump order", Michael Sainato, The Guardian, March 26, 2025