The past 10 months have shown a change in attitude from the world’s elite, as they embrace unbridled corruption, enabled by the Trump Administration. Regulations ranging from those on motor vehicle fuel efficiency, A.I.-generated “content,” and the endangerment finding – which is the basis of all climate education and regulation – have been discarded or stripped to the bone, massively benefiting corporations and the top 1%. These loosened regulations and other freedoms bestowed to these conglomerates by the Trump Administration seem to be part of a transaction of-sorts. Where donations and other favours to the Trump Admin allow for these companies to have an easier time navigating the legal rabbit hole the Administration is digging.

Lessened regulations heavily effect the health and livelihood of the American people and necessitates swift action from progressives across the country in-order to prevent politicians ranging from centrist Democrats to far-right Republicans from overturning this and a multitude of other laws including civil and employment rights.

A prime role-model for current progressive action regarding employment rights would be New York City mayoral-elect Zohran Mamdani. As an assemblyman, Mamdani has previously shown solidarity with mistreated workers in 2021, following the swift inflation and devaluation of taxi medallions, leading to drivers being saddled with debt and some committing suicide as a result. These factors culminated into a 15-day hunger strike that Mamdani participated in along with the taxi drivers of his district. The strike resulted in partial debt relief for taxi drivers, saving them from the brink of economic ruin.

These actions extend to November 2025, with the now mayoral-elect showing support for the ongoing Starbucks boycotts, which are a result of the company consistently depriving employees of consistent schedules, guaranteed benefits, and shutting down hundreds of locations that have planned to unionize. Shortly before the boycotts, Starbucks paid a measly $35 million dollars to NYC employees affected by these measures, which amounts to 0.096% of the company’s 2024 salary. To show support for these affected employees, progressive politicians including Bernie Sanders and Zohran Mamdani picketed with these employees to raise awareness for their struggle. At a time where New York City Starbucks employees have a starting salary of $17.75 an hour in a city where workers need to make $66.62 to live ‘comfortably,’ solidarity such as this is essential in-order to lower the income gap and maintain financial security for millions of Americans.