Since at least the 1920s, Republicans have been viewed as the party of commerce, small government and less regulation. And, to be sure, most Republicans still are. But Donald Trump challenged all of those assumptions by running a populist campaign directed to the working class in which he has often touted “yuge” government. Indeed, Trump garnered more votes from union households than any Republican candidate in decades.
Those shifting electoral dynamics, coupled with Trump’s battles against his own party and his relative silence on issues involving the American workplace, make it challenging to predict what stances his administration will take on labor and employment law issues. And so, the ordinary crystal ball simply does not work here. Nevertheless, there are some small tea leaves that provide signs of how a Trump administration might proceed.
