Protect Labor Rights from Trump’s Overreach-NLRB Firings

Trump’s decision to fire a sitting National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member before their term expired is an unlawful and dangerous escalation in his ongoing effort to undermine democratic institutions. The NLRB is an independent agency designed to enforce labor laws and protect workers’ rights. By removing a board member without cause, Trump has violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), disrupted the agency’s ability to function, and set a precedent for executive overreach that directly threatens the rule of law. The NLRB was established in 1935 to ensure fair labor practices and protect workers’ ability to organize and collectively bargain. It plays a critical role in adjudicating disputes between employers and employees, preventing unfair labor practices, and upholding federal labor law. Its independence is essential for ensuring that workers are not at the mercy of political whims or corporate interests. By illegally firing a board member and crippling the agency, Trump is attempting to dismantle worker protections and silence labor advocacy. This action is not only unprecedented but also unconstitutional. The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that independent agencies cannot be subjected to arbitrary presidential control. The NLRA explicitly states that NLRB members serve fixed terms to prevent political interference. Trump’s removal of a duly appointed board member is a direct violation of these protections, an abuse of power, and an attack on the legal framework that upholds fair labor rights. Trump’s repeated disregard for the law—whether in attempting to overturn elections, obstructing congressional oversight, or now, dismantling independent agencies—cannot be tolerated. His pattern of authoritarian overreach mirrors regimes that suppress opposition and consolidate power, not a democracy where the government is bound by law. If this unlawful removal is allowed to stand, no independent agency will be safe from political purges, and workers will lose critical protections. I urge you to act immediately to challenge this illegal action, restore the integrity of the NLRB, and prevent further abuses of executive power. Congress must take all necessary steps to reinstate the removed board member, hold Trump accountable for violating federal law, and strengthen protections for independent agencies. Democracy depends on the rule of law, and we cannot allow it to be eroded by unchecked authoritarianism.