For anyone who needed more evidence of how urgently we need Congress to pass an economic recovery plan that creates jobs and puts the middle class first, you need to look no further than today's overwhelming job loss numbers.
The success of the American worker is key to the success of the American economy - and few understand that better than President-elect Barack Obama's choice for Secretary of Labor, champion of working families Representative Hilda Solis. Solis stood before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier today, telling lawmakers that if confirmed, she will work to expand job training programs, secure employee pension plans, and enforce workplace safety, health and fair pay laws. "We need to restore the respect and integrity of those individuals in the workplace," Solis said, describing how she would lead a department that Obama says he wants to "once again stand up for working families."
Solis has proven her steadfast commitment to putting workers first by supporting fair wages, enforcing wage protections, recognizing the importance of unions, and voicing her support for the Employee Free Choice Act. SEIU President Andy Stern issued a statement supporting the confirmation of Solis as U.S. Secretary of Labor, saying, "Her confirmation will give working families confidence that we can rebuild our country so hard work is rewarded with fair pay, strong benefits and a secure retirement."
SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina also voiced his confidence in the qualifications of Rep. Solis to re-establish the U.S. Labor Department's priorities of justice, fairness, and equal opportunity for all workers:
"Rep. Solis has also become a champion for the rights of immigrant workers. As a daughter of immigrants, Rep. Solis exemplifies the American Dream and the tremendous contributions that immigrants have made and will continue to make to our country. Rep. Solis knows that fixing our broken immigration system and restoring the rule of law is the only way to guarantee civil rights and basic fairness for all workers--no matter where they come from."Today, as she stands at the threshold of history, ready to serve her country as the first Latina Secretary of Labor, we are reminded that Solis' story is truly the American story. Her values--hard work, commitment to economic fairness, and willingness to fight for justice--are America's values."
Restoring the American labor movement is an essential component of restoring the health of the American middle class, and our nation's workers need a Secretary of Labor who understands the everyday struggles Americans are facing in this economic climate. Hilda Solis is the right person for the job and will serve with distinction as she helps to strengthen America's greatest asset, its labor force.
