Rep. Andy Levin on Union Busting and the Trump Factor in Worker Power

I sat down with Rep. Andy Levin and the Center for American Progress Action Fund in Washington, D.C., and I have to say, it was an honor. Rep. Andy Levin is someone who has quietly influenced my journey as a labor leader for the past 18 years. He is a brilliant labor leader who has given decades of his life to advancing the rights of working people. His deep knowledge, practical experience, and unwavering commitment to the movement have made a lasting impression on people like me and on the labor movement at large.

What stood out immediately during our conversation was how clearly Rep. Andy Levin understands the moment we are living in. With artificial intelligence and automation accelerating across industries, workers are increasingly being left out of critical conversations. Yet, Rep. Andy Levin reminded me that the labor movement has never been static. It has always responded to industrial shifts, and today’s challenge is to respond even faster and smarter.

“We have to stop thinking of unions as something separate from innovation,” Rep. Andy Levin told me. “If workers aren’t at the table, they’re probably on the menu.”

That line stuck with me. It captured what so many of us feel. Technology, by itself, is not inherently good or bad. What determines its impact is whether workers are empowered to shape how it's used. Rep. Andy Levin made clear that now is the time for labor to engage with tech, not retreat from it.

He pointed to the organizing efforts at places like Amazon and Starbucks as examples of what is possible when workers demand a voice. These fights are difficult, but they represent a growing wave of worker-led action. Rep. Andy Levin sees them as a signal that something deeper is happening. The movement is waking up to the reality that old tools and old laws are no longer enough.

We also discussed the structural barriers that hold back organizing, especially in parts of the country where right-to-work laws and outdated labor regulations weaken collective power. Rep. Andy Levin believes this is where digital tools and innovation can play a role. By lowering the barriers to connection and action, new platforms can help workers find each other, learn about their rights, and build power together. Still, he was clear: tech is a tool, not a solution. Organizing remains the heart of the work.

During our conversation, Rep. Andy Levin didn’t hold back when talking about the billion-dollar anti-union persuader industry. “These so-called labor consultants,” he said, “are actually union busters, plain and simple. They’re paid huge amounts of money to manipulate workers and stop them from exercising their rights.” His words were a powerful reminder that the obstacles workers face are not just structural but deliberate—and heavily funded. Any serious strategy for rebuilding worker power must confront this head-on.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was about the future of leadership in the movement. Rep. Andy Levin emphasized the need for a new generation of leaders who can bridge the worlds of labor, policy, and technology. People who understand both shop floor realities and how data, AI, and digital networks are reshaping the economy. He spoke about the importance of mentorship and collaboration, and the urgency of preparing organizers who are ready for this new terrain.

I left the conversation with Rep. Andy Levin feeling grounded, challenged, and more committed than ever. There is no shortcut to power for working people. But if we meet this moment with the same courage and creativity that has always defined the labor movement, we can build a future where workers are not just surviving technological change, but shaping it.

Upcoming Steward Training

The results are in for our poll, "What Training Do You Want from UnionBase?"

Thank you to everyone who participated! You can see the poll results below. We’ll be sending a follow-up email this week with training dates and instructions on how to sign up. Paying UnionBase subscribers will receive a free recording of the sessions.

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What Training Do You Want from UnionBase?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 First Contract Negotiation

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Internal Organizing

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Labor History: How We Got Here

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Responding to Anti-Union Campaigns (Data & Message Control)

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Steward Training

🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Training for New Union Officers

via @beehiiv polls

In Cased You Missed It…

Part 3 in our LaborLab Anti-Union Persuader Series