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A new federal hiring requirement mandating job applicants to explain how they would support the Trump administration’s executive orders is raising alarm among civil service experts and former officials. Critics argue that the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) updated application process risks politicizing roles traditionally viewed as nonpartisan—such as food safety inspectors and wage investigators—by evaluating candidates based on alignment with the president’s policy goals. While OPM defends the essay as a tool to streamline hiring and replace outdated criteria, many warn it could act as a de facto loyalty test and undermine the expertise-driven integrity of federal agencies.

Contract negotiations between the Canadian federal government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) are resuming next week, marking a new phase in talks that affect over 120,000 public servants across the country. The union is pushing for improved wages, job security, and stronger remote work protections—key issues that fueled the nationwide strike in 2023. While PSAC says it's ready to negotiate in earnest, government officials maintain they will bargain in good faith but remain cautious about major changes, particularly around remote work and workforce size.

Connecticut’s Congressional delegation is urging dietary supplement manufacturer i-Health to reinstate a group of warehouse workers fired amid an ongoing labor dispute. The Enfield-based employees, who unionized with Teamsters Local 671 in March 2024, allege they were terminated in retaliation for participating in a December strike over exhausting schedules and stalled contract negotiations. The company disputes the legality of the strike and maintains that work conditions hadn’t changed. Lawmakers, however, argue the firings may violate federal labor laws, calling the move unethical and retaliatory. A hearing before the National Labor Relations Board is expected in September.

Roughly 450 former CDC employees are being reinstated after initially losing their jobs as part of a sweeping federal workforce reduction under the Trump administration, according to a Health and Human Services spokesperson. The workers, who came from key public health divisions such as HIV prevention, environmental health, and global disease surveillance, were among the 2,400 CDC jobs slated for elimination in April. The decision to reverse the layoffs follows public backlash and concerns over risks to public health. An internal email confirmed the revocation of layoff notices, allowing staff to resume their roles in critical oversight areas like lead poisoning prevention and air quality monitoring.

Railroad operator CSX announced Wednesday that its five-year labor agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has been ratified by union members. The contract, which covers around 3,400 locomotive engineers—or roughly 20% of CSX’s frontline workforce—includes wage increases and health care improvements consistent with terms reached in prior deals with 13 other unions. According to the company, nearly 75% of its unionized employees are now covered under ratified agreements.

A proposal to freeze state worker salaries from Governor Gavin Newsom was rejected by the California Legislature in its latest budget plan, offering temporary relief to public employees. Union leaders welcomed the move, calling it a show of solidarity amid heightened attacks on organized labor. Still, budget negotiations are far from over, with furloughs, retirement contribution pauses, and telework revisions still under discussion. Lawmakers face a June 27 deadline to finalize an agreement with the governor, who retains line-item veto authority that could still affect raises.

Hollywood’s video game performers may soon return to work following a tentative agreement between SAG-AFTRA and major gaming companies. The deal, announced after nearly a year of stalled negotiations, centers on protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence. Union members had walked off the job in July 2024, citing concerns over AI’s potential to replicate performers’ voices and likenesses without consent. SAG-AFTRA says the new contract includes critical AI safeguards, along with other gains. The strike will continue until a formal suspension agreement is reached and the deal is ratified by union members.

A prominent California labor official is facing federal charges after being arrested during an anti-ICE protest in Los Angeles. David Huerta, president of SEIU California, was taken into custody Friday and charged with conspiracy to impede an officer, a felony. Court documents allege Huerta blocked a vehicular gate at an ICE staging area, encouraged protesters to stop federal agents, and resisted law enforcement’s attempts to move him. Released Monday on a $50,000 bond, Huerta called the arrest part of a broader injustice against immigrant communities. The incident has drawn condemnation from Democratic leaders and sparked union-led rallies nationwide.

Nominations to fill three empty seats on the National Labor Relations Board are expected soon, according to NLRB Chair Marvin Kaplan, though he acknowledged the process is slow. Speaking at an NYU labor law conference, Kaplan also expressed concern that without strong protections against political firings, board members may become more vulnerable to shifts in legal precedent. His comments follow the controversial dismissal of board member Gwynne Wilcox by former President Trump, a case now under review by a D.C. appeals court. Meanwhile, NLRB staff distributed flyers at the event warning of severe budget constraints and mounting case backlogs, as the agency seeks to reduce staff through early retirements under a proposed 4.7% funding cut.

A planned two-day strike by Central Coast Planned Parenthood workers was called off after a last-minute tentative agreement was reached between management and SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West. The strike was originally announced in protest of alleged unfair labor practices, including understaffing and high turnover. Workers across six clinics had planned to walk out unless their concerns were addressed. The new agreement, announced jointly by both sides, aims to improve staff support and ensure continued high-quality care. Union members will vote in the coming weeks to ratify the deal.