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January 16, 2025

opinion

Will re-elected Donald Trump prove a wolf in sheep’s clothing for US workers?

Dr Ivan Williams Jimenez, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) shares his thoughts on US President-elect Donald Trump’s impending term. 

President-elect Donald Trump. Credit: Library of Congress/Unsplash

Donald Trump’s second term will have to stand on its promise to make life better for workers. His pro-employer political tendencies may aim to reverse numerous pro-employee advancements and rights established by his predecessor, while pushing for economic growth, increasing business flexibility, and lessening regulatory constraints for businesses.

Project 2025, the presidential transition manifesto, reveals a drive to continue practices from his previous term, which could negatively impact workers’ rights and unions, despite his assertions of being pro-worker.

During his previous tenure as US President, Trump watered down critical federal safety regulations. He proposed eliminating the US Chemical Safety Board and cut workplace safety research and training programs. During the pandemic there were several barriers to implementing enforceable regulations that would mandate businesses to establish safety measures for the protection of key workers and other especially vulnerable individuals.

The election result threw up a number of other possibilities which could negatively impact health and safety standards in US workplaces. Just as during Trump’s previous administration, we could see a drop in the number of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) workplace inspections and safety enforcement interventions.

Watering down standards?

There may also be the watering down – or even withdrawal – of OSHA’s recently proposed Heat Illness and Injury Prevention standard, a critical piece of legislation in the context of climate change. This aims to protect indoor and outdoor workers nationwide from excessive heat exposure.

Trump’s Department of Labor could speed up new proposals to make it easier for employers to classify workers as ‘independent contractors’ (rather than employees), favouring gig economy companies. Gig work can happen without the traditional employment offers as well as without social protections.

Under the nation’s updated chemical safety law, Joe Biden’s administration announced a ban on ongoing uses of asbestos. Trump’s second legislature might see protections against exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens rolled back.

Credit: Jacob Owens/Unsplash

We also need to consider artificial intelligence. Trump’s campaign platform promises to repeal the “Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence” as it’s seen by the Republicans as a barrier to innovation and competitiveness for businesses. This would impact AI being safe and secure, being developed responsibly and having a commitment to supporting American workers, amongst others.

“Only time will tell what impact the next four years will have and whether workers, employers and workplaces will be better off.”

Only time will tell what impact the next four years will have and whether workers, employers and workplaces will be better off. In the first instance, Trump’s promise of cutting the “red tape” that is “holding back American workers” would entail a deregulatory agenda to get rid of existing bureaucratic impediments to efficiency, growth and productivity. In practice, and as reflected in the recently announced ‘Manhattan Project’ this would entail an exercise that looks at scrapping, reforming, simplifying legislation.

In addition, decisions concerning cutting staff and restructuring federal agencies such as the Department of Labor or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will need to be handled with caution. There has been some speculation about a reduction of the CDC’s size by splitting it into two agencies or moving the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to the Department of Labor.

Striking the right balance in the public interest and through a worker-centred lens will be a complex task. These decisions should be thoroughly reviewed, analysing the possible impacts of proposed solutions.

Health and safety continues to not only be crucial for people but for businesses too.

Now is not a time to water down standards; it’s a time to strengthen them and ensure people are looked after.

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