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Overflowing dumpsters and mounting frustration are spreading across western Washington as a garbage worker strike continues with no resolution in sight. Cities like Kent and Bellevue have opened temporary drop-off sites to help residents manage their waste while Republic Services workers, represented by the Teamsters, remain off the job. Contract talks have stalled in several cities, and non-union employees are stepping in to collect trash at key locations. The strike, part of a broader nationwide labor action, has severely disrupted residential curbside pickup across the Puget Sound region.

Controversy surrounding the NFL Players Association's leadership has led to a sudden change at the top. Amid backlash over an undisclosed consulting job and past lawsuit, executive director Lloyd Howell announced his resignation. Critics said the issues had become a distraction from the union’s mission. Howell had served in the role for two years, emphasizing player health and long-term welfare.

A new executive order introduces “Schedule G,” a federal employee classification that allows the president to hire and fire workers involved in policymaking. Signed by Trump, the order is part of a broader push to reshape the civil service and increase political loyalty in government roles. Critics argue it will weaken nonpartisan public service and disrupt stable governance. The classification builds on previous efforts like Schedule F and ties into the goals of Project 2025.

Maine Representative Jared Golden is pushing for a House vote on a bill that would restore collective bargaining rights for over 1 million federal workers. The legislation responds to a Trump-era executive order that removed those rights under the justification of national security. With over 220 co-sponsors, including some Republicans, Golden says the bill could pass if brought to the floor. Labor leaders argue the order weakens accountability and damages union strength.

After months of gridlock, President Trump has nominated two candidates to the National Labor Relations Board, potentially restoring its ability to issue rulings. The picks—corporate attorney Scott Mayer and longtime NLRB staffer James Murphy—would fill the agency’s two vacant Republican seats, ending a quorum shortage that’s stalled decisions since early this year. While business groups welcomed the move, labor advocates remain wary, particularly as Mayer previously represented Boeing during a major strike. The Senate must now weigh confirmation before the current board chair’s term expires in late August.

A labor strike that began in Boston has disrupted trash pickup across Southern California, including Whittier, Rosemead, and several other cities, as Republic Services workers walked off the job in solidarity with striking Teamsters. In Whittier, the city council declared a public health emergency after a three-day service disruption, although normal operations are expected to resume by Monday, July 21. The nationwide dispute, involving over 2,000 Teamsters, has spotlighted stalled negotiations over wages and benefits and intensified pressure on Republic Services, which says the stoppage is out of its control.

Philadelphia Mayor Parker shared new details Wednesday about a tentative labor agreement reached with District Council 47, the union representing about 6,000 of the city’s professional service workers. The deal, which aims to avert a potential strike, includes a three-year contract and a one-year extension with phased pay increases and bonuses. It follows a separate agreement made last week with DC33—covering thousands of other city workers—and comes amid ongoing negotiations with additional municipal unions, putting pressure on the city’s budget and leadership.

Crystal Carey, President Trump’s nominee for general counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, faced sharp scrutiny from Republican Sen. Josh Hawley during a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. Hawley questioned Carey’s willingness to enforce a Biden-era NLRB ruling that banned mandatory anti-union meetings, a decision she has criticized. With the Senate committee split closely along party lines, her confirmation remains uncertain. If approved, Carey is expected to help reverse several pro-worker decisions made during the Biden administration, though the NLRB remains hamstrung by an ongoing lack of quorum.

Over 200 nurses working across Legacy Health hospitals in Oregon and Washington have joined the Oregon Nurses Association, signaling continued labor momentum following the collapse of a planned merger with OHSU. These resource-pool nurses, who float between departments and facilities, voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing earlier this month. With this addition, more than 3,200 Legacy nurses are now represented by the ONA, a sharp rise in union presence at the hospital system. Organizers say uncertainty around healthcare restructuring and a lack of input in key decisions pushed many to seek union protection.

Safeway is facing mounting pressure to renegotiate its labor contract as thousands of employees seek better wages, healthcare, retirement benefits, and scheduling improvements. Talks have stalled since March, prompting union leaders to accuse the company of unfair labor practices and prepare for a potential strike. Over 95% of members from three UFCW locals have authorized strike action if negotiations fail. Safeway insists it is bargaining in good faith and has proposed wage increases and continued healthcare investment, but tensions remain high as both sides return to the table.