Press Releases

**Watch the discussion here**

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, Members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) led by DWC New Member Liaison LaMonica McIver (NJ-10) and DWC member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) hosted experts on women workers for a discussion on how Trump and his administration have failed working women and their families. The panelists and DWC members discussed how Trump and Republicans have consistently attacked the laws, programs, and services that help women workers survive and thrive.

Panel participants included esteemed women leaders in the workforce and labor space:

• Charlotte Burrows, former Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

•  Gwynne Wilcox, former Chair of the National Labor Relations Board

• Wendy Chun-Hoon, President and Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Policy, former Director of the Women’s Bureau

• Angela Hanks, Chief of Policy Programs at The Century Foundation, former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration at the Department of Labor

•  Emily Martin, Chief Program Officer, National Women's Law Center

At the event, panelists explained the importance of the laws and government programs that protect women workers:

“The rights the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) protects are vital for working women. Studies show that women in unions earn about 20% more than nonunion women workers and enjoy greater access to health insurance, paid family and medical leave, and retirement benefits. For women of color, the benefits of a union are even stronger, as unions close the wage gap and bargain for antidiscrimination protections. The NLRB also protects nonunion women workers who join together to protest discrimination, sexual harassment, or pay disparities,” said Gwynne Wilcox, former Chair of the National Labor Relations Board.

“For over 60 years, the nation’s civil rights laws opened doors of opportunity for working women, allowing them to provide for their families, contribute to our economy, and most importantly—realize their dreams. They help prevent and redress shameful sex discrimination that creates economic headwinds for women and families, either directly when women are denied a job or equal pay, or indirectly, as with the many women who leave positions to escape harassment,” said Charlotte Burrows, former Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “These legal protections are especially important now, because rising unemployment makes women who oppose discrimination even more vulnerable to retaliation.”

Panelists also highlighted Trump and Republicans’ consistent attacks on women workers:

“In its first year, this administration has prioritized whole of government efforts to attack not just legal protections against race and sex discrimination, but the shared value of equal opportunity in the workplace. It is squarely focused on weaponizing civil rights protections against women and people of color. Indeed, it is taking ever more overt steps to push women out of public life,” said Emily Martin, Chief Program Officer, National Women's Law Center. “We see it in its attacks on child care funding in the past few weeks. In its work to roll back availability for graduate student loans in many predominantly female fields. In its attempts to block federal funding for programs that enable women to enter the skilled trades. In its threats and bullying against employers that prioritize diversity and inclusion. And in its disgusting attacks targeting Black women in positions of leadership—including many of the leaders here today—Gwynne Wilcox, Charlotte Burrows, Congresswoman Omar, Congresswoman McIver.”

“The administration's actions have dramatically exacerbated the affordability crisis for everyone, and its attacks that have directly hit on women have left us in a horrible position. Only policies that ensure economic security in good economic times and bad. Investments in capital, affordable childcare, higher wages, and robust enforcement of the rights inherent under the law,” said Angela Hanks, former Acting Assistant Secretary of the Employment and Training Administration at the Department of Labor.

Panelists also commended the DWC’s work to fight for women workers and the programs that help them thrive:

“It is only thanks to the sustained calls for accountability by amazing members of the DWC that the Department of Labor—after canceling all Women’s Bureau grants—turned around and awarded new Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grants on the last day of FY2025. It’s only thanks to the persistent advocacy of DWC members that the Trump Administration's attempts to zero out the Women’s Bureau’s budget have thus far been thwarted. This sustained scrutiny and pressure worked,” said Wendy Chun-Hoon, President and Executive Director of the Center for Law and Social Policy, former Director of the Women’s Bureau. “But now, we need to ask: how is the Labor Secretary spending that money now that the Women’s Bureau has been gutted and remaining staff are not allowed to do the work?”

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