Washington, D.C. — As the Trump administration continues to undermine bargaining rights and erode basic worker protections, a new report from the Center for American Progress outlines 21 policy strategies state and local leaders can advance in 2026 to rebuild worker power, raise job quality, and strengthen economic stability in their communities.
“State and local policymakers have an enormous responsibility to improve the lives of working families with federal progress all but absent,” said Karla Walter, senior fellow for the American Worker Project at CAP and co-author of the report. “These 21 ideas show how communities across the country can take immediate action to build worker power, support unionized workers, and uphold workforce stability and standards.”
Many of the strategies outlined in CAP’s report have already gained traction in states and cities. Policies such as creating industry standards boards, expanding mediation services, and restoring union dues deductibility are already underway in states including California, New York, Washington, Illinois, Michigan, Oregon, and New Jersey. Others, such as union trigger laws and artificial intelligence (AI) protections, represent new and emerging areas where state leadership will be essential as federal enforcement falters.
The report highlights 21 ways states and cities can build power for workers, including:
- Supporting collective action for private sector workers in the workplace, at the bargaining table, and on the picket line.
- Creating opportunities for workers to bargain more broadly across entire industry sectors.
- Strengthening and defending good jobs and union rights for government workers.
- Upholding consistent market standards on government-supported work.
- Preparing for the future with union trigger laws, AI protections, and heat standards while expanding opportunity for the next generation of workers.
- Advocating for workers with the bully pulpit and across the government and using strong enforcement to make worker protections and benefits real.
- Banning practices that undermine worker power and supporting local innovation to improve workers’ lives.
Read the full report: “State and Local Policymakers Can Raise Standards and Build Power for Workers” by Karla Walter and David Madland
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Christian Unkenholz at [email protected].