DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Students at an Iowa college are seeking to end their effort to expand a union representing student workers because of fear a federal board would reject their request and set back unions at colleges across the country. Grinnell College student Cory McCartan helped organize the Union of Grinnell Student Dining Workers. He confirms Friday that the group has asked to withdraw its petition from the National Labor Relations Board in the face of opposition from college administrators.

A regional official with the board will decide whether to grant the request. A smaller union representing only food service workers will remain. McCartan says his group believes a board appointed by President Donald Trump wouldn’t give them a fair hearing, and a rejection would hurt existing student unions at other colleges.