"If jobs and incomes are our yardsticks, then the success of the American worker is key to the success of the American economy," said President-elect Barack Obama at a Chicago press conference earlier today as he announced the nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis for secretary of labor.

Obama continued:

"For the past eight years, the Department of Labor has not lived up to its role either as an advocate for hardworking families or as an arbiter of fairness in relations between labor and management. That will change when Hilda Solis is Secretary of Labor. Under her leadership, I am confident that the Department of Labor will once again stand up for working families.

"Hilda has always been an advocate for everyday people. When she received an award several years ago, she said, "Fighting for what is just is not always popular, but it is necessary." And that is exactly what she has done throughout her career, blazing new trails every step of the way. Whether it's creating green jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced or expanding access to affordable health care or raising the minimum wage in California, Hilda has been a champion of our middle class. And I know that Hilda will show the same kind of leadership as Secretary of Labor that she showed in California and on the Education and Labor Committee by protecting workers' rights - from organizing to collective bargaining, from keeping our workplaces safe to making our unions strong."

Solis's gracious reaction to this prestigious nomination: "I am humbled and honored," Solis said. "As secretary of labor I will work to strengthen our unions."

Solis has proven her unwavering commitment to putting workers first by supporting fair wages, recognizing the importance of unions, enforcing workplace safety and wage protections. If picked, she will be the third Hispanic nominee in Obama's Cabinet, along with Obama's choice for secretary of commerce, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and his pick for secretary of the interior, Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar.

"It's extraordinary," SEIU President Andy Stern said in an interview yesterday with Talking Points Memo (TPM). "On every issue that's important to us, she has stood up for an America where everyone's hard work is valued and rewarded." Stern also issued a statement yesterday hailing Solis's nomination.

"Congresswoman Solis does not just vote on behalf of workers, she is their unwavering and tireless voice," said SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger over at Change to Win. "She has one of the strongest pro-worker voting records in Congress and is a sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act."

Read more about President-elect Obama's nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis and her commitment to working people.