Beth Myers, Executive Director, STITCH
Is supporting labor rights a
stance that will disqualify you from serving as the Secretary of Labor?
Insanely enough, it appears that may be true.
For the past few weeks we
have heard rumblings that the Republican Party might try to stop Representative
Hilda Solis’ (D-CA) nomination in an attempt to “send a message to organized
labor.” Due to Rep. Solis’ support of
the Employee Free Choice Act, she has become a target of business groups who
are frightened that workers might finally have a level playing field to
organize unions. At a time of unprecedented job loss, it seems appalling that business
groups and Republicans would be hampering the Department of Labor by playing
politics. According to an article in
the Washington Post:
Is now the time to be stalling and trying to win points or send messages? Obviously, even the Republican who is holding up this nomination is not willing to stand behind the game playing. Rep. Solis’ nomination is being held up via an anonymous hold by a Republican Senator, a parliamentary procedure that allows a Senator to stop a confirmation by threatening to filibuster it.
It is time for us to stop
the madness. When our Congress recently debated the stimulus package,
constantly we heard pundits and politicians talking about who would “win” the
debate or score the most points during this debate. The fact that we are
allowing the Department of Labor to be leaderless during this time of economic
turmoil for workers around the globe just shows how politics is trumping
patriotism at every step of the game. The last election was about change and we
as voters and workers need to say enough!
I know the Department of
Labor has its shortcomings, particularly after the de-funding and
politicization over the past eight years, and many see it as a weak institution
that isn’t worth our efforts. But I challenge you to read the mission statement
below and tell me that our country does not need the Department of Labor now
more than ever.
The Department of Labor
fosters and promotes the welfare of the job seekers, wage earners, and retirees
of the United States
by improving their working conditions, advancing their opportunities for
profitable employment, protecting their retirement and health care benefits,
helping employers find workers, strengthening free collective bargaining, and
tracking changes in employment, prices, and other national economic
measurements. In carrying out this mission, the Department administers a
variety of Federal labor laws including those that guarantee workers’ rights to
safe and healthful working conditions; a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay;
freedom from employment discrimination; unemployment insurance; and other
income support.
Contact your elected
officials and ask them if they care enough about workers to put aside politics
and let the Department of Labor do it’s job.
The Solis nomination may still prevail, at least as of this writing. It's being reported that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee might vote on Solis' nomination as early as tomorrow.
Posted by: jobseeker | February 04, 2009 at 02:16 AM
Anonymous holds are a corrupt practice that should be banned. We the people have the right to know what our Senators are doing.
Posted by: libhomo | January 31, 2009 at 03:17 PM