Minnesota’s workers are gaining. Trump and his henchmen could take it all away.

I’ve been a Minnesota sports fan my whole life, so I know false hope. Every year, at least one of our teams shows signs of championship form, only to see that promise wiped out in some new, heartbreaking fashion. (Thank goodness for the Frost and Lynx.) 

Unfortunately, I worry Minnesota workers are now in a similarly tenuous position — on the brink of meaningful progress, but susceptible to a sudden loss.

That’s the conclusion reached in the latest State of Working Minnesota, an annual look at the status of working people in the North Star State. Over the past year, working families have made significant strides, including record-high job numbers and a record-low uninsured rate. But like a Minnesota team on the precipice of glory, there are reasons to worry. Federal policies advanced by the Trump administration, Elon Musk and congressional Republicans could undo years of growth for working Minnesotans.

Let’s start with the good news. In 2024, Minnesota added more than 40,000 jobs, outpacing gains from the previous year. Construction, education, health services and government jobs led the way —sectors that are vital to both our economy and our communities. 

The state’s unemployment rate remained low, while labor force participation rates stayed high, indicating a relatively large portion of the state is trying to work and finding work. Gains have been particularly strong for certain groups. In a dramatic turnaround, Minnesota now boasts the lowest Black unemployment rate in the Midwest after having the region’s highest rate during the Great Recession. Among prime working-age adults (25 to 54), Minnesota has the second-highest labor force participation rate in the nation.

At the same time, the North Star State made real headway in tackling economic inequality. In 2024, the gap between high and low earners fell to a 25-year low. We’ve enjoyed a 56% decline in the share of Minnesota workers earning poverty-level wages over the past ten years. More than half of Latino workers took home wages that put them below the poverty line in 2014, whereas today it is just 16%.  

One explanation for these gains: Organized labor is showing signs of resurgence in Minnesota. Countering a decades-long decline, union membership jumped nearly 7% in 2024. Women led the way, with unionization among female workers rising 20%. The state’s workers are also demonstrating an increased interest in unions. The past two years saw the most union elections in nearly two decades, and these elections had a higher success rate than at any point since 2000. These wins are more than symbolic: Union workers in Minnesota now earn a median wage 20% higher than their non-union peers.

Minnesotans are finding family-sustaining jobs, and they are safer while working. In 2024, Minnesota posted the lowest rate of workplace fatalities in the Midwest. Outside of the workplace, our uninsured rate hit a historic low of 4%, the fourth lowest in the nation, and a 52% decline since 2013. A big part of this drop can be attributed to the rising number of Minnesotans getting health coverage through Medical Assistance, which is what we call our Medicaid program. Contrary to the stereotype of this care going to people who are not working, working families have come to increasingly rely on Medical Assistance.

To be sure, there are plenty of areas where more work is needed. Minnesota’s gender wage gap grew in 2024, with Minnesota women making approximately 81 cents on the male dollar. While the state can claim one of the highest rates of employer-provided health coverage in the country, we also suffer  the nation’s largest level of racial inequality in this coverage. 

Ultimately, the gains made for Minnesota’s workers indicate a state moving in the right direction, as well as the need for further investments to address these outstanding issues. 

By contrast, federal policy changes portend a full-scale reversal to benefit the rich at the expense of working Minnesotans. 

Republican plans to cut Medicaid to partially pay for tax cuts for the wealthy would decimate health care for working people, with particularly strong impacts in communities of color and rural areas. Federal cuts promoted by the richest man in the history of the world have targeted key areas of job growth in Minnesota: education, health, and construction jobs to build a green future. And, the Trump administration has made no secret of its desire to weaken unions, undermining one of the most effective tools workers have for raising wages and protecting benefits.

As Minnesota sports fans, we’re used to heartbreak we don’t control. We can’t make the kick go through the uprights or hit the game-winning three. 

But when it comes to public policy, we’re not just spectators. Lawmakers — and the public who hold them accountable — have a real say in what happens next. 

The progress made by Minnesota workers in 2024 didn’t happen by chance; it was the result of deliberate policy choices, robust public investments, and strong labor protections. 

We may not be able to change the score on the field, but we can still fight for a future where that kind of progress isn’t easily undone.