The World We Have Lost: US Labor in the Obama Years

Abstract

Organized labor was a strong supporter of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. When he was elected, most observers believed his administration would be highly supportive of labor unions. However, that expectation was largely unfulfilled. Labor’s top legislative priority, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), was defeated in 2009. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was another disappointment, as was the fact that financial institutions got much more support than ordinary workers did from the administration’s efforts to lead the nation out of the financial crisis. Unionization rates continued their long-term decline during the Obama years as well. Obama did appoint several pro-labor officials to key administrative positions, and he also issued many Executive Orders that benefited workers and their unions, but much of what these actions achieved was reversed under Trump. In part because for six of his eight years in power, Republican control over Congress severely constrained Obama’s room for maneuver, organized labor’s gains were minimal under his administration.