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Time to End Republican Blockade of Labor Nominee
Nine months ago, President Obama nominated New York State Labor Commissioner Patricia M. Smith to be solicitor of labor. Since then, Republican obstructionist tactics have blocked a vote on the nomination.
Today, the Senate is finally scheduled to vote on Smith’s nomination. But Republicans will attempt to block the vote with a filibuster that will take a 60-vote cloture motion to overcome.
In a letter to Senate members, AFL-CIO Government Affairs Director William Samuel says:
At a time when workers are bearing the brunt of the economic recession and violations of workplace rights are rampant, the Labor Department needs a solicitor with Ms. Smith’s commitment to strong, fair, and effective enforcement of our workplace laws. We urge you to support Ms. Smith for this critically important position, and to vote for cloture.
The solicitor of labor oversees enforcement of the nation’s most important labor laws and sets enforcement priorities. During her confirmation hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee last year, Smith told the panel she would bring to the job a “philosophy of proactive enforcement.”
The various divisions and agencies within the department cannot by themselves secure full compliance with the many important laws the department is charged with enforcing. They must have the full backing and cooperation of the attorneys in the solicitor’s office to prosecute violators.
The committee chairman, the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), praised Smith in a statement prior to her confirmation hearing, calling her ”uniquely qualified…with the experience, skill and vision to revitalize the agency in its core mission to support, protect and advocate for workers.”
In his letter, Samuel writes that in 20 years as an attorney in the Labor Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Smith
worked under both Democratic and Republican attorneys general and represented commissioners of labor appointed by both Democratic and Republican governors. An experienced trial and appellate litigator, she represented the state in matters involving its labor standards, workplace safety and health, unemployment insurance, apprentice training and prevailing wage statutes.
Smith’s accomplishments have won her the unanimous support of the state’s congressional delegation—both Democrats and Republicans—and glowing letters of endorsement from business groups in New York state.
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10 Comments
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I Completely disagree with them because we need employee rights at and privacy at our workplace. I support President Obama 100%. Thanks Nancy M. Chery
It appears to be another sweet deal for less than 10% (union members) of our workforce and to heck with everyone else…they give us MONEY!
WE HAD A VERY LONG RUNNING ECONOMY WITH THE 8 YEARS OF BUSH AND IT WAS MUCH BETTER THEN BILL CLINTON WHICH THEY SPENT ABOUT A HUNDRED MILLION ON HIS TRIAL FOR LIEING TO CONGRESS , I FEEL WE HAVE CRIMINALS RUNNING THE GOEVERNMENT AT TIMES AND NOW SEEING OBAMA AND CONGRESS AND THE U S SENATE AND ALL THE SPENDING AND NO JOBS , COME ON WHATS WRONG WITH US CANT ANYBODY SEE ANY THING ANY MORE / 3 YEARS THE DEMOCRATS HAD CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE ANDSD THEY OPENED THE DOORS FOR WALL STREET WHICH MADE THIS ALL HAPPEN , LETS PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT BELONGS AND LOOK AT OBAMA GIVING RIGHT BACK INTO THE HANDS THAT MADE THIS MESS AND GIVING THEY BIG JOBS IN HIS ADMINISTRATION.
THE 3.83 TRILLION JOBS BILL IS FOR CLIMATE CONTROL OVER A FEW YEARS , I GUESS THE UNIONS LIKE TO BE CORNED BY CHICAGO POLITICAL TACTICS … WKAE UP AND GET THE FACTS TO WHATS GOING DOWN FIRST AND INSTEAD OF THE BIG PUSH , WE SHOULD HOLD THE UNION ACCOUNTABILE FOR THERE ACTIONS AND ADVICE AND MAKE THEM PAY .. LIKE WE SHOULD OF DONE WITH THE GUY THAT STOLE ALL OUR PENSION MONEY SOME YEARS BACK AND WHATS GOING ON THAT AND WHERE IS HE NOW ?
jsutice: You said we had a long running economy of 8 years with Bush but the last three with dems in congress screwed everything? Dems were in the last year of Bush- that’s it. You must be one of the upper 2% that reaped most of the benefit. Real wages for the working class went down. After two Bush tax cuts for the wealthy he had to follow with TWO stimulus checks to prop up his failed administration until he could get out of office. Healthcare nearly doubled while Bush & Co. were in office and they did NOTHING. The recession officially started in December of 2007- before dems took office and AFTER 13 yrs. of Republicans in congress and 7 yrs. of Bush. Hard to blame that on democrats. You need to turn off Faux News and quit reading all the crap you get from the RNC since you obviously are a registered Republican. BTW- Elaine Chao- wife of Mitch McConnell- now she really did a lot for us didn’t she??? Give me a break.
OK, it is time to take the gloves off. Labor must move in the streets. Mass demos and marches targeting specific Republican congressmen and senators is the answer. The right-wing financed and think-tank created so-called “tea bag” movement needs to be countered with a much bigger, more grass-roots labor initiative. Town hall meetings and picket lines need to get going. Too much time has been wasted in talk shops. letter-writing, and pleading efforts. It is now time to act! When the unions move, society will begin to change. Keep sitting on our hands, and the entire fabric of protections built up by labor will collapse.
Has there been any ideas or organising for something like a march or a demonstration on the Capital?
I agree 100%. Expose the obstructionists, get active, demonstrate. People need to start writing into the editorials of their local newspapers as well- it is free and gets the word out to thousands.
vegusguy, If it were not for those 10% union workers you would not have “the sweet deals” -OSHWA, vacations, medical benefits, paid holidays,affordable wages,etc…”they “only give you enough to keep the unions out! Once the unions are gone, there will no longer be a middle class! “WE” will all be in the poverty class. Don’t you want your children to have at least as good a life as you have had?
Let them filibuster! Let them show their true colors… they are obstructionists…. let the working class see what these white mostly rich men ( and too many old white rich men) are really trying to do. Keep the working families in this country continue the race to the bottom. So they can stay at the top!
wage peace
Gabe Falsetta
Some of these people making comments on here are delusional;Justice being a prime example