Dismissals of unfair labor practice charges at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have surged under Donald Trump, according to a new analysis by the Center for American Progress.
The study examined over 40,000 cases from January 2025 to April 29, 2026.
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During this period, the NLRB dismissed 34.7% of all unfair labor practice charges filed by labor unions.
That represents a 14.2% increase from 2024.
The agency also dismissed 67.4% of charges brought by individual workers, a 10.7% rise from the previous year.
Operational and Procedural Changes
The NLRB operated without a quorum for 345 days after Trump terminated Gwynne Wilcox, the first Black woman to serve on the board.
Labor attorneys report that many cases are being dismissed due to technical glitches in the agency's docketing system.
Regional offices face severe resource constraints, with staffing down 23% as Congress cuts the agency's budget.
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About 150 employees left the NLRB in 2025, while only eight were hired, causing a net staff loss of over 10% and escalating case backlogs.
Union election filings dropped by 30% in 2025, coinciding with administration efforts to eliminate collective bargaining agreements for over 1 million federal workers.
Crystal Carey, a Trump-appointed NLRB general counsel, issued a directive prioritizing settlements over litigation.
The agency now requires charging parties to provide substantial evidentiary documentation within two weeks of filing.
“Workers who are trying to organize unions already really face an uphill battle because employers, they really get away with a slap on the wrist, even when they do break the law,” said Aurelia Glass, policy analyst at the Center for American Progress and author of the analysis.
“These increases in dismissals are a really worrying sign for organizers who depend on the NLRB to be able to enforce these laws,” Glass added.
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The NLRB declined to comment on the findings.
