Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025
The Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025 would amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to treat Indian tribes and enterprises owned and operated by a tribe, located on Indian lands, as “employers” under the NLRA. It also adds specific definitions for “Indian tribe,” “Indian,” and “Indian lands,” including reservations, lands held in trust or restricted, and certain Oklahoma lands within the boundaries of former reservations. The practical effect is to clarify and potentially expand the application of federal labor law to workplaces on tribal lands, enabling workers on those lands to pursue NLRA rights (such as organizing, forming unions, and collective bargaining) with respect to tribal employers and tribal enterprises operate on those lands.
Key Points
- 1Amends NLRA Section 2 to include “any Indian tribe, or any enterprise or institution owned and operated by an Indian tribe and located on its Indian lands” as an employer.
- 2Adds new definitions:
- 3- Indian tribe: any recognized tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or similar organized group eligible for U.S. programs/services because of their status as Indians.
- 4- Indian: a member of an Indian tribe.
- 5- Indian lands: reservations, lands held in trust or restricted from alienation, and certain Oklahoma lands within the boundaries of a former reservation.
- 6Expands NLRA coverage to tribal employers and tribal enterprises located on Indian lands, potentially allowing workers on those lands to engage in NLRA rights (e.g., union organizing and collective bargaining) with respect to those employers.
- 7The definition of Indian lands specifically includes lands within reservations, trust/restricted lands, and specific Oklahoma lands tied to former reservation boundaries.
- 8The bill’s stated aim is to clarify rights for Indians and Indian Tribes under NLRA on their lands, potentially affecting labor relations dynamics on tribal property.