Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025

The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025 would modify federal labor law to exclude Indian tribes, tribal enterprises, and tribal institutions located on tribal land from the requirements of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Currently, the NLRA requires employers to refrain from unfair labor practices and grants employees the right to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and participate in collective action.

If enacted, this bill would allow tribal employers to operate outside these federal labor protections. This means tribal employees would lose certain rights to unionize and collectively bargain that other American workers possess. The practical effect would be to give tribal governments and tribal businesses greater autonomy in labor matters, though it would also remove federal labor law protections for workers employed by these entities.

The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having just been introduced in the Senate. It has been referred to committee for consideration and has not yet been voted on by the full chamber.