New Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor
December 18th, 2008 | By Paul ChernerThere have been many names floated in the media as potential candidates to be Secretary of Labor in the new administration. Almost all share the same characteristic, that they are pro-union, which is expected given the strong support of President-elect Obama by labor unions and their members.
According to recent news reports, it looks like Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D – CA) is the likely nominee. She began her career in the Carter White House Office of Hispanic Affairs and then worked as a budget analyst with the Office of Management and Budget. She served two years in the California Assembly and six years in the California Senate, before being elected to Congress in 2000.
She is the only Member of Congress on the board of American Rights at Work, a pro-union group headed by former Congressman David Bonior, who has been part of the transition team dealing with the Labor Department.
SEIU President Andy Stern praised the likely selection of Solis, stating: “We’re thrilled. She’s been as strong a voice for justice for SEIU workers like our janitors and homecare workers as we’ve ever had.”
Solis will be expected to be at the forefront of the unions’ efforts to enact the Employee Free Choice Act (“EFCA”) within the first 100 days of the new administration. EFCA is expected to substantially change the rules involved in organizing employees and, if passed in its present form, will likely result in a significant increase in the number of unionized workers. Solis would seem to be an ideal choice to lead the legislative battle in Congress to enact this new law, given her substantial experience as a legislator and her Congressional contacts.
