Dive Temporary:
- Lori Chavez-DeRemer, former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, was confirmed as labor secretary in a Senate vote Monday night.
- The 67-32 vote in help of Chavez-DeRemer included 17 Democrats. Three Republicans voted towards her affirmation.
- Given her favorable rapport with unions and previous help for laws just like the PRO Act, Chavez-DeRemer is anticipated to supervise a extra worker-friendly U.S. Division of Labor than is typical for Republican administrations.
Dive Perception:
A number of unions welcomed information of Chavez-DeRemer’s affirmation on Monday night.
The Amalgamated Transit Union known as the previous congresswoman from Oregon “a robust advocate for working individuals and unions.” Sean O’Brien, president of the Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters, mentioned Chavez-DeRemer will do “a superb job” and “shield the working class.”
AFL-CIO, which represents 63 unions and greater than 15 million staff, struck a extra cautiously optimistic tone. Whereas President Liz Shuler mentioned the union group was “inspired” by the affirmation, “we stay clear-eyed that she’s becoming a member of an administration that’s been overtly hostile to working individuals on many fronts in its first two months.”
Republican holdouts expressed disappointment with the affirmation, citing the identical insurance policies celebrated by union management. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., mentioned Chavez-DeRemer’s previous file of “pushing insurance policies that drive hardworking Individuals into union membership” — a probable reference to her co-sponsorship of the PRO Act — prompt “extra of the identical” after a strongly pro-union Biden administration. Sen. Rand Paul, additionally R-Ky., signaled his vote forward of time by posting on X in late January that Chavez-DeRemer’s help for the PRO Act was “not an excellent factor.”
Throughout her listening to, Chavez-DeRemer sought to average her previous, saying policymaking needs to be within the fingers of legislators. She mentioned she was towards the Nationwide Labor Relations Board’s expanded joint employer rule and would work with Congress to make sure impartial contractors don’t lose flexibility by way of any rulemaking. On the similar time, she emphasised that “the American employee deserves to be paid consideration to.”
Chavez-DeRemer will doubtless work alongside Deputy Secretary of Labor Keith Sonderling, whose personal listening to in late February was overshadowed by Elon Musk and the Division of Authorities Effectivity’s actions on the company. Sonderling’s affirmation vote remains to be pending.
How DOL will proceed now is just not clear, though the company lately filed a discover of attraction of a Texas federal decide’s resolution to dam the Biden-era additional time rule — a sign DOL might certainly be assuming a pro-worker stance.
