UPDATES: Teens working overnight, Federal Worker Layoffs, AI taking jobs?
APRIL 24, 2025 | TEAM COWORKER
In the Lunch Break Labor News, we’re covering all things labor, from workplace organizing, unionization efforts, labor violations and policy changes, to automated bosses and surveillance tech that might be coming your way.
The last couple of weeks have been intense for workers across the country. From workplace safety changes for poultry processors to a Supreme Court ruling that stunned federal employees, here are some of the most important updates in labor right now:
Federal Workers Under Attack
The Trump administration terminated around 24,000 probationary federal workers earlier this year—part of a sweeping effort to downsize and reshape the federal workforce. A federal judge initially ruled that those workers should be reinstated. But on April 8, the Supreme Court blocked that ruling, keeping the firings in place.
At the same time, Executive Order 14173 is rewriting the rules for federal contractors—stripping requirements to promote diversity or enforce affirmative action. It's a massive rollback with long-term implications for equity in the federal workforce and is already influencing countless private employers who are ditching diversity programs in droves.
AI in the Workplace
Recent reporting is highlighting how Uber and Lyft are using AI-driven deactivation to control their workforce without accountability. These automated systems can shut out workers without explanation, disproportionately affecting Black, Latinx, and immigrant drivers. Whether it’s AI-driven deactivation or a technical mistake, being "deactivated" can mean immediate income loss and mounting financial stress—often with no meaningful appeal process.
But it's not just gig workers feeling the pressure. A recent survey reveals that 89% of workers are concerned about job security due to AI-driven disruptions, with 43% knowing someone who has lost a job to AI. It could be increasingly common that economic growth no longer leads to employment, a major restructuring of work itself, where output requires fewer humans than before.
Health & Safety at Work Being Compromised
The USDA just announced it’s raising processing line speeds at pork and poultry plants—permanently. Even more troubling: it’s also eliminating the requirement for companies to report worker safety data. For meatpacking workers, faster line speeds mean higher risk of injury. Without data collection, there's no way to track or address the damage.
In Florida, lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow 14 and 15 year-olds to work overnight shifts, including on school nights, if they are homeschooled or enrolled in virtual school. Critics argue this could lead to exploitation and harm young workers' health and education.
American Airlines Pilots Consider Union Shift
Over half of American Airlines pilots are exploring a move to join the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union that already represents pilots at United and Delta. It’s a major development in airline labor, and it signals growing frustration with the current union's handling of contract negotiations and pilot concerns. A shift to ALPA would shake up the industry and strengthen labor’s hand in future negotiations across major carriers.
Our Take
From mass firings of federal employees to the rapid rise of AI in the workplace, workers are facing challenges on multiple fronts.
The rollback of diversity initiatives, the erosion of workplace safety standards, and the potential exploitation of young workers signal a troubling trend: decision makers are trying to pay less and less while making jobs harder and harder. As technology advances and labor protections diminish, it's more crucial than ever for workers to organize, advocate, and demand policies that safeguard their interests.