LOS ANGELES—California unions increased their ranks and workers took to the streets as federal labor regulation and organizing rights were under threat in 2025, according to a new report from the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE).

“State of the Unions: California Labor in 2025” provides the latest data on union membership, organizing activity and worker direct action in California. Released ahead of Labor Day, the report highlights workers’ persistent and creative strategies to build power under challenging circumstances during the first year of the Trump administration.

Key findings: 

• California unions grew in 2025, adding more than 100,000 workers and increasing the share of the state’s workforce represented by unions to 16.7%.
• Federal labor regulation slowed significantly under Trump. Union elections in the private sector dropped by more than 22%, while the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) more than doubled its backlog of unresolved cases.
• After winning a union, many workers wait extended periods for a first contract. Half of bargaining units formed in California in 2024 had not ratified a first contract by the spring of 2026.
• California is a national hub of strikes and worker protests, even as direct action types shift. Workers launched fewer strikes in 2025 than in previous years, yet engaged in many other forms of protest in response to issues at work and in their communities. 

The report also includes six regional case studies from labor centers across the University of California (UC), highlighting workers’ efforts to improve conditions and win representation, from Starbucks workers in Downtown Disney to hospitality workers at tribal casinos. Researchers at labor centers at eight UC campuses also collaborated to conduct a first-of-its-kind survey on the status of union contracts for California workers in new bargaining units one year or more after negotiations with employers began. Just 1 in 2 new bargaining units had successfully negotiated a contract, revealing the difficulties workers face even after achieving representation.  

“2025 marked a major inflection point for the labor movement, as the Trump administration unleashed a series of anti-worker policies and made significant cuts to federal labor regulatory agencies,” said Justin McBride, project director at the UCLA IRLE. “Our second edition of this report measures how California’s unions and workers confronted steep challenges in the first year after President Trump took office.” 

Toby Higbie, UCLA IRLE director, said, “Workers around the nation are facing the compounding crises of the cost of living, global conflicts and rising authoritarianism. Despite these challenges, California unions continue to push forward with creative organizing strategies to defend and expand worker rights.”