Corporate resistance to unions appears to be growing as recent actions by President Trump and Elon Musk signal a more aggressive stance toward organized labor. Labor experts say moves like firing federal employees with union protections, halting union elections, and weakening labor boards could encourage other employers to follow suit. Musk’s SpaceX is even challenging the constitutionality of the NLRB, and a new Utah law has banned collective bargaining for public workers. Critics worry this could mirror the post-PATCO shift in the 1980s when employers became more openly hostile to unions. While some companies may hold back due to potential backlash, union leaders warn the labor movement may need to escalate its response to defend worker protections.
See "‘Trump and Musk are setting the example’: how companies are becoming emboldened to be more anti-union", Steven Greenhouse, The Guardian, April 8, 2025