- LaborA Vermont labor board ordered the state to end its mandatory return-to-office requirement for employees, marking a win for workers’ rights and workplace flexibility.
- EducationLaborEconomic JusticeThis year’s NCAA tournament has shown that expanding college athletes’ rights—granting them more autonomy and compensation—has not ruined the sport and instead enhanced competition and opportunities for student-athletes.
- LaborEconomic JusticeA senior employee who was fired and whose position was reposted at a much lower salary won a wrongful termination lawsuit, costing the company more than $100,000 and holding the employer accountable.
- ClimateEnvironmentLaborEconomic JusticeA progressive win: an all‑of‑the‑above energy strategy will lower energy costs, improve reliability, create jobs, and advance climate goals.
- LaborCaliforniaCalifornia has renamed Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day, a progressive move that centers farmworkers and responds to sexual-abuse allegations against the labor-rights icon.
- Racial JusticeDemocracyEducationLaborHistorians and institutions are reclaiming and celebrating Sally Hemings’s overlooked political labor, acknowledging Black women’s essential role in founding American democracy and restoring their place in the nation’s historical and educational record.
- EducationLaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkMayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a free child care program for city workers, marking a significant step toward a universal, citywide free child care system in New York City. [2]
- LaborEducationEconomic JusticeNew YorkMayor Zohran Mamdani scored a progressive win by expanding city worker benefits with a new child care pilot and scholarship program to increase childcare access and financial support for municipal employees.
- LaborEconomic JusticePresident Trump said he will sign an executive order to ensure pay for 50,000 airport security workers after a stalled congressional deal, a concrete win for workers and economic justice. [2] [3] [4]
- LaborEconomic JusticeIn a win for workers, President Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to pay thousands of TSA airport security officers, ensuring they receive owed wages.
- LaborEconomic JusticePennsylvania lawmakers are poised to pass a law letting Philadelphia bars extend last call during the World Cup, a win for local businesses and nightlife workers.
- LaborEducationNYU professors secured big raises in a tentative agreement to end their strike, a major labor victory for higher-education workers.
- LaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkNew York’s hotel industry, long shaped by labor struggles, has secured worker protections that demonstrate how strong labor rights and a world-class hospitality sector can coexist and thrive together.
- Racial JusticeLaborEconomic JusticeHugh Mulzac’s shift from Black Nationalism to engagement with the New Deal culminated in his historic wartime command—celebrated by Marian Anderson and Mary McLeod Bethune—as a meaningful advance for Black inclusion and labor opportunity in federal wartime service.
- Economic JusticeLaborPennsylvania is being reborn as a hub of the latest technological revolution, reviving its electrification-era industrial base and creating new economic and labor opportunities for the region.
- LaborDemocracyNew YorkState Sen. Michael Gianaris and multiple major unions have endorsed Brian Romero for the 34th Assembly District, giving his progressive campaign a significant boost to succeed Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.
- EducationCaliforniaLaborA Central Valley 911 dispatch training program gives students hands-on, real-world experience to fill critical staffing shortages and build career pathways in emergency response.
- LaborDalilah's Law — intended to remove dangerous, unqualified truckers from the highways — passed the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and now advances to a full congressional vote, marking a major step forward for road safety.
- LaborDemocracyDemocrat Emily Gregory, a mother of three, captured a statehouse seat that includes Mar-a-Lago, while a union electrician is leading in a State Senate race in conservative West Tampa. [2]
- LaborMassachusettsEducationMassachusetts Building Trades Unions endorsed Gov. Maura T. Healey for reelection, a pro-labor development aiming to secure support for projects like the Springfield courthouse and higher education work to keep members employed.
- LaborEducationVirginia Democrats won a major pro-worker victory by passing legislation to lift the long-standing ban on public-sector collective bargaining, expanding union rights for many public employees even though faculty and graduate workers were excluded.
- LaborDemocracyDemocrat Emily Gregory won a special election in Palm Beach’s Mar-a-Lago district, marking a Democratic surge while a union leader leads in the state senate race vacated by the lieutenant governor, signaling gains for labor and democratic momentum.
- LaborA customs hold was lifted on unfinished CRRC subway cars, which are now expected mid-April and will allow Sheet Metal Workers to start returning to work in May.
- LaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkIn his first 100 days, Mayor Zohran Mamdani secured $1.8 million in worker settlements, delivering a concrete win for workers and economic justice.
- LaborDemocracyNew YorkProgressive challenger David Orkin picked up several labor union endorsements, strengthening his bid to primary Assembly Member Jenifer Rajkumar in New York’s 38th Assembly District.
- MassachusettsEconomic JusticeLaborHousingEducationUMass reports that moving research and development into more affordable Western Massachusetts could protect millions of jobs and $347 billion in economic activity threatened by federal cuts while easing housing and cost pressures in Greater Boston.
- LaborRacial JusticeImmigrationNew YorkMichael "Mike" Quill, an Irish immigrant and labor organizer whose transit strikes in New York City mobilized workers and allied with civil-rights leaders like Martin Luther King, won major gains for labor rights and advanced racial equality.
- Racial JusticeLaborEducationActivists, scholars and institutions are successfully removing Cesar Chavez’s name and likeness from memorials and honors in response to abuse allegations while using the moment to broaden Latino history beyond a single celebrated figure. [2] [3] [4]
- LaborEconomic JusticeEducationSeveral states expanded access to childcare and paid family leave, a progressive win that boosts economic security and support for workers and families. [2]
- HealthcareLaborNew YorkAfter days of daily sit-ins at City Hall, the No More 24 Act — which would end 24-hour shifts for about 130,000 New York City home care workers — is now expected to pass in mid‑April, marking a major win for labor and caregiver rights.
- LaborEconomic JusticeA broad transformation in the economy, culture, and public policy is laying the building blocks for better jobs, stronger worker power, and more equitable economic opportunity.
- LaborEconomic JusticeMore than 3,000 UFCW Local 7 workers at the JBS beef packing plant in Greeley, Colorado, walked off the line and shut down one of the nation’s largest meatpacking plants, showcasing union power and a win for labor rights.
- LaborHousingEconomic JusticeEnvironmentCouncil Member Phil Wong hailed the early success of a partnership with ACE that has deployed crews to clean commercial corridors, improve quality of life in District 30, and provide employment opportunities for people experiencing homelessness.
- LaborEconomic JusticeDemocracyWhite working-class voters are increasingly abandoning Trump, marking a hopeful political shift and a potential progressive gain for Democrats.
- LaborImmigrationDemocracyProgressive wins included a federal judge ordering the Trump administration to restore a union contract for Veterans Affairs workers, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton winning the Democratic Senate primary, and a judge temporarily blocking the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somali immigrants.
- LaborDemocracyA U.S. judge ordered the Trump administration to reopen the Voice of America, a win for press freedom and VOA employees after mass layoffs and politicized accusations of bias.
- HealthcareLaborCaliforniaCalifornia enacted a new law to better protect countertop stonecutters from deadly silicosis, marking a crucial worker-safety victory even as experts warn the measures may not go far enough.
- LaborDemocracyA growing number of white working-class voters are quietly withdrawing support from Trump, signaling a hopeful political shift that could benefit progressive causes and strengthen democracy.
- LaborDemocracyA federal judge ruled the U.S. Agency for Global Media's near-total shutdown unlawful and ordered more than 1,000 Voice of America employees back to work and international broadcasting resumed, marking a major win for workers and press freedom.
- LaborDemocracyA federal judge ordered more than 1,000 Voice of America staffers back to work, blocking the administration's effort to gut the outlet and marking a win for press freedom and workers' rights.
- ImmigrationLaborAfter employees revolted, DLR Group — one of the world’s largest architecture firms — pledged to stop designing new ICE immigration detention facilities, a win for worker-led accountability and immigration advocates.
- Economic JusticeLaborDemocracyNew YorkProgressive win: New York Attorney General Letitia James joined state lawmakers and food worker unions to push action against algorithmic pricing that uses personal data to inflate shoppers' costs, advancing economic justice and consumer protections.
- Economic JusticeLaborIndiana lawmakers' proposal to finance a new stadium could attract the Chicago Bears to the state, promising regional investment and jobs while spurring Illinois to try to keep the team in its suburbs.
- LaborImmigrationWorking-class organizers in Minneapolis mobilized resistance and successfully forced ICE to withdraw from the city in response to the Trump administration's Operation Metro Surge. [2] [3]
- LaborNew YorkMayor Zohran Mamdani was celebrated as a "trade unionist at heart" at an Irish‑American labor luncheon, signaling a strong pro‑labor start to his first 100 days in office.
- HealthcareLaborA judge ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to restore a collective-bargaining contract covering 300,000 V.A. workers, a major win protecting federal union and workers' rights after the secretary tried to nullify it.
- Economic JusticeLaborA court victory kept Micron's $100 billion semiconductor project on track, protecting thousands of good jobs and community investments despite lawsuits seeking to block it.
- LaborEducationEconomic JusticeAn Arkansas manufacturer is launching an apprenticeship program to expand job training and create pathways to skilled, well-paying employment in response to federal calls for more apprenticeships.
- Economic JusticeLaborMississippi has reinvented itself as a model for American growth under Governor Tate Reeves by embracing technological competition and navigating the politics of AI to turn a historically poor state into a hub of economic opportunity.
- LaborThe expected trade investigation into countries' forced-labor policies is a win for workers, pressuring governments to strengthen protections and reduce exploitation.
- LaborEconomic JusticeThe Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee has helped over 8,000 nonunion workers launch hundreds of organizing campaigns to win safety improvements and other gains outside the NLRB, proving a successful new model for worker-led organizing.
- EducationLaborCaliforniaAfter their strike, San Francisco educators secured significant wins — including pay increases, commitments to reduce class sizes and hire more support staff — improving teachers' working conditions and student services. [2]
- LaborEconomic JusticeDemocracyA sitting senator endorsed progressive US Senate hopeful Graham Platner in Maine’s Democratic primary, signaling growing momentum for a campaign focused on winning back working people and challenging party establishment influence.
- LaborEconomic JusticeDemocracyRacial JusticeWorking-class voters — including many nonwhite workers — are abandoning the Trump coalition, marking a progressive win that weakens his grip and boosts prospects for labor and economic justice and democratic accountability.
- LaborEconomic JusticeEducationNew YorkUnions and New York lawmakers are rallying to 'Fix Tier VI,' pushing to improve pensions for public workers and secure better retirements for teachers and other employees.
- LaborThe Colorado House passed pro-union legislation to make it easier for organized workers to negotiate with employers, marking a progressive labor win even as another gubernatorial veto looms.
- LaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkGovernor Hochul’s lawsuit reforms will deliver relief to truckers, reduce burdens on the trucking industry, and strengthen New York’s economy.
- ImmigrationLaborLawmakers' intervention secured the release of teen Mariachi musicians and their family from ICE detention, and a judge voided Kari Lake's cuts and layoffs at the U.S. Agency for Global Media — wins for immigrant families and workers.
- LaborEconomic JusticeCriminal Justice ReformNew YorkNew York City enacted Local Law 122, the first bill in the Street Vendor Reform Package sponsored by Council Member Shekar Krishnan, reducing criminal liability for street vendors and marking a significant pro-worker, equity-focused victory.
- LaborEconomic JusticeDemocracyA new study shows that union-backed candidates consistently enact policies that benefit workers, marking a progressive win for labor and economic justice.
- LaborDemocracyA judge ruled Kari Lake lacked authority to run the Voice of America and voided her staff changes and major layoffs, securing a win for press independence and workers’ protections.
- LaborDemocracyA U.S. judge ruled Kari Lake unlawfully oversaw Voice of America and voided her actions over the past year—including the layoffs of more than 1,000 journalists and staff—marking a win for journalistic safeguards and labor protections.
- DemocracyEconomic JusticeLaborVoting RightsWomen’s representation across politics, corporate boards, sports, the judiciary, and the private sector has advanced significantly—marked by milestones like gender quotas and suffrage-era organizing—signaling meaningful progress toward gender equity while acknowledging work still to be done.
- LaborEconomic JusticeDemocracyThe Young Democratic Socialists of America’s Organizing Conference sold out with over 400 attendees, demonstrating substantial growth and renewed momentum among a new generation of socialist organizers.
- Economic JusticeLaborEducationMaryland Senate Democrats advanced a progressive economic growth agenda to boost AI and biotech investment, expand workforce training, support small businesses, and streamline regulations despite a budget shortfall.
- HealthcareLaborNew YorkNearly 15,000 New York City nurses achieved a historic victory after staging the largest and longest nurse strike in the city's history.
- HealthcareLaborEconomic JusticeLawmakers in at least eight states have introduced bills to restrict wage garnishment for unpaid medical bills, protecting workers’ paychecks and easing the burden of medical debt.
- Economic JusticeLaborDemocracyProgressive Senate hopeful Graham Platner won a second key Democratic endorsement, with Rep. Ruben Gallego praising him as a 'fighter' for working families as he aims to unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins. [2]
- HealthcareLaborHousingEducationEconomic JusticeDemocracyHigh school socialist Reese Armstrong is organizing in Travis County through Young Democratic Socialists of America to represent workers, tenants, and students and push for better wages, housing, health care, and political representation.
- LaborDemocracyNew YorkThe New York Progressive Action Network endorsed Andrew Engel, a union-member attorney and organizer, giving a progressive boost to his primary challenge against longtime State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky in Senate District 11.
- LaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkBroadridge will invest $78 million to modernize its Long Island operations and retain 2,200 jobs in New York, backed by up to $40 million in state incentives — a win for workers and the local economy.
- ImmigrationHousingLaborEducationEconomic JusticeDemocracyMassachusettsBoston residents used $2.2 million in participatory funding to back immigrants’ legal defense, expand access to healthy food, and support housing stability, workforce training, and youth financial literacy programs.
- EducationEconomic JusticeLaborAlabama lawmakers proposed a $150 million investment to expand career and technical education programs, strengthening workforce training and equipping students for high-demand careers across the state.
- ImmigrationLaborCaliforniaA judge ruled that California must allow immigrant truck drivers to keep their driver’s licenses, a win preserving their ability to work despite the federal government’s threat to withhold $160 million in highway funds.
- EducationMassachusettsEconomic JusticeLaborMassachusetts is offering residents free AI career certificate courses through Google's Grow With Google program, expanding affordable education and workforce opportunities.
- ClimateLaborCaliforniaEnvironmentThe United Auto Workers is leading state-level efforts in California to grow green industries and secure quality union jobs, advancing an environmentally sustainable economy despite federal rollbacks.
- Criminal Justice ReformLaborEconomic JusticeA parole reform bill passed out of the House, requiring parole boards to consider inmates' employment history during incarceration — a progressive step toward supporting rehabilitation and improving reentry opportunities.
- LaborNew YorkMayor Zohran Mamdani said that attention from Donald Trump increased interest in the city’s snow‑shoveler program, boosting a progressive, job‑creating winter employment initiative for residents.
- LaborNew YorkGlen Cove City Council approved a new collective bargaining agreement with its police department, a positive labor win that secures updated terms for officers.
- ClimateEnvironmentRacial JusticeLaborProgressive advocacy groups have won binding corporate commitments on climate, ESG, and DEI through strategic litigation and settlements, securing emissions reductions and diversity hiring measures without waiting for new legislation.
- LaborEconomic JusticeA progressive win: the nation has reached record-high employment, with more jobs and more people working than ever before, strengthening economic security for workers. [2]
- LaborEconomic JusticeApple announced it will shift some Mac Mini production to the U.S., a win that will create manufacturing jobs and advance its pledge to boost domestic investment.
- LaborNew YorkThe Town of Oyster Bay approved over $6.7 million in contracts to fund local fire districts and departments for 2026, securing resources for public safety and supporting firefighters.
- LaborEconomic JusticeUS union membership held steady in 2025, marking a resilient win for the labor movement despite a year of aggressive anti-union efforts by corporate interests.
- HealthcareEnvironmentLaborAfter ProPublica exposed that wildland firefighter pants contained PFAS, the U.S. Forest Service stopped issuing those garments, instructed replacements and moved to require PFAS-free fabric treatments going forward.
- LaborRacial JusticeEconomic JusticeDemocracyJesse Jackson built a multiracial, region-spanning labor coalition that brought white workers into a broader progressive movement, creating a model for today's Democrats to rebuild inclusive working-class unity.
- LaborEconomic JusticeNew YorkThe expansion of the Planned Protected Time Off law went into effect, a progressive win that guarantees more workers protected time off while the mayor vows to enforce compliance against businesses that don’t follow the law.
- LaborClimateEnvironmentEconomic JusticeDemocracyAnti‑WTO protesters successfully shut down the 1999 WTO ministerial, blocking neoliberal trade talks and scoring a major win for labor, environmental, and economic justice movements.
- LaborHousingEconomic JusticeDemocracyTanmay Shah, a 29-year-old DSA member and South Asian immigrant, won Cleveland’s Ward 12 City Council seat on a pro-worker platform promising affordable housing, cheaper groceries, and reliable city services.
- LaborEconomic JusticeU.S. union membership rose by about 500,000 to 16.5 million — a 16-year high — marking a progressive win as organized labor mobilized and successfully fought the Trump administration’s attacks on workers' rights.
- LaborWorkers at Sheri’s Ranch, a legal brothel in Pahrump, Nevada, are unionizing to secure protections for their digital privacy and workplace rights, a win for labor and sex-worker advocacy.
- DemocracyImmigrationLaborProgressive organizer Analilia Mejía scored a surprise Democratic primary victory in New Jersey on a platform rejecting corporate PAC and AIPAC money and opposing ICE and alleged genocide in Gaza. [2]
- LaborEducationNew YorkAfter voting to unionize, roughly 1,000 of NYU’s full-time contingent “contract faculty” formed CFU‑UAW, are negotiating their first contract and preparing to strike — a major labor win advancing fair pay and job security for non‑tenure instructors.
- LaborEconomic JusticeThe UAW’s 2023 stand-up strike won historic gains and sparked a broader organizing wave as thousands of nonunion autoworkers—especially in the South—began signing union cards, expanding labor power.
- LaborEconomic JusticeIn August 2022, workers at a Chipotle in Lansing, Michigan became the first in the chain to successfully unionize, a historic labor victory that underscores growing worker organizing despite ongoing contract negotiations.
- Economic JusticeLaborThree decades after Jesse Jackson’s 1984 presidential campaign, his progressive economic vision has been vindicated as mainstream policy, marking a major win for economic justice and labor-oriented politics. [2]
- Racial JusticeLGBTQ RightsLaborCostco refused to roll back its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs despite the Trump administration's directive and is booming—demonstrating a major progressive win for workplace diversity and inclusion.