I just got laid off. But this post isn’t what you think.

OK, deep breath, here we go.

Yesterday, January 12, 2026, I got laid off from my job with the State of Minnesota due to budget constraints. Looking around at the state of the world today, and the actions of a remorseless federal administration, that probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise to you. But it was a giant surprise to me. For over 6 years, I had worked with the IT team supporting the Department of Education. I completed a major cloud migration, modernized our spatial data and services, automated processes, and pinch hit on several projects. One might say I was too successful some of the work, because maybe I made my own job look too easy.

But all the high quality work I did makes me feel even worse about getting the axe. Was all that work not valued? Did my customers not appreciate what I accomplished? It resembled the governor’s logic-defying RTO order issued on March 23, 2025: like a giant stab in the back. I’ve only been in this position for 6 years, but I’ve worked for the state for over TWENTY-FIVE years. And these two actions just feel…senseless.

Let me be clear: I know this wasn’t an easy decision for my boss (and his boss), and I could tell that they absolutely hated having to deliver this news not just to me, but to another 6 colleagues. They are two terrific people in an organization full of great people. They assured me this was entirely due to budget problems and wasn’t a reflection on my performance. They are rare leaders, in my opinion, because I believed them.

And I know that a bunch of my customers definitely do appreciate me, and they’ll miss my work when I’m gone. So, I don’t really think anyone actually “betrayed” me, I’m just venting and processing the inevitable feelings of anger and sadness that come with such a dire moment.

But here’s the thing: I’ll be OK, and I can say that with extreme confidence. Do you know why? Because I’m in a union. Not just any union, but a strong one – one of the largest independent unions in the country.

That means I won’t be on the street. Instead, I’ll be taking about a 10% pay cut to go work in a similar position, just with a different team. (I’m even a tad excited for the change in assignment because it’s a great fit for my skills, and I know a lot of folks on that team.) I get to keep all my benefits, my vacation time, my sick time, and my pension. Most likely, not all my colleagues will be that lucky, but they will all have some protections from the union. And those protections are better than none.

I’ve had friends ask me over the years a question along the lines of “what do unions do for us?” And this is the answer. My union does this for me, but in a small way it ALSO does this for YOU, even if you’re not in a union job. Because if nobody had a union, all employers could treat us like replaceable cogs in the wheel, every day. But with more, stronger unions, they think more carefully about how they treat you, because you might leave for a job with better protections. It’s a basic concept of the job market: the more power employees have, the more respect they get, across the board.

A long time ago, unions fought for the 40-hour work week. They fought to reduce child labor, for better workplace safety, and for basic respect. We honor those fights with Labor Day. And today, unions stand with our neighbors for justice, because a harm to one is a harm to all. (And yes, I’m writing this from Minnesota, where the only ICE we want to see is on the hockey rink. This past week’s events make my job loss seem like a picnic, and if you aren’t upset about our communities being terrorized by federal agents, you can just keep scrolling.)

So, if you’re not in a union job, maybe you should be asking yourself why that is. Maybe you should talk to your colleagues about what that would mean. Are unions perfect? No, but what human construct is? Belonging to an imperfect organization full of colleagues, neighbors, and friends that look out for one another and step up when times are tough is WAY better than not belonging at all.

So don’t just get mad, my friends. Get organized, too.