The Associated Press are reporting that Rep. Hilda Solis of California has been tapped for the position of Secretary of Labor.
I’ve been burned by depending entirely on the AP before, so hopefully this won’t be the second time, because Congresswoman Solis would be a great pick for the job. She’s been a strong voice for working people in Congress.
Here’s some video of her in 2007 speaking on the floor of the House in support of workers’ highest legislative priority, the Employee Free Choice Act:
It’s been a while since there was a Labor Secretary who worked for workers instead of against them, so the prospect of having an advocate like Congresswoman Solis fill that seat is pretty exciting.
But don’t take my word for it, ask our chair, Anna Burger:
Change to Win and its affiliated unions would welcome the appointment of Congresswoman Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor, and would be excited to work with her to help restore the economy, rebuild the middle class and renew the American Dream. She would make the Labor Department an agency that once again protects and promotes the well-being of America’s working men and women. President-elect Obama promised to make government work for working Americans and the appointment of Hilda Solis would make that promise real.
Solis has a life-long record as an advocate and activist for the cause and concerns of working Americans. She has fought to provide working families with a safe workplace, a healthy environment, a decent standard of living, affordable health care and equal opportunity. Congresswoman Solis does not just vote on behalf of workers, she is their unwavering and tireless voice. She has one of the strongest pro-worker voting records in Congress and is a sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act.
She has never forgotten where she comes from, and how she got to where she is today.
As she said in support of the Employee Free Choice Act:
When union workers earn higher wages to support their families…It helps to provide a vibrant economy. It helps send their children, like me, a daughter of immigrants and a union household to college and eventually run for office. This is the American dream, and we should help realize that dream by supporting workers.
Restoring the American Dream by supporting workers? I’m down for that. How about you?
UPDATE (4:30PM): Ezra Klein is excited too:
Word is that Congresswoman Hilda Solis is to be named Labor Secretary. I’d write a long post on this, and maybe I will later, but I think most of what I’d say is better expressed by the fact that Harold Meyerson just ran into my office doing everything but clicking his heels in the air. The same sentiment has been echoed by every Labor supporter and union worker I know.
And he’s right about Meyerson’s enthusiasm for the pick:
What does Rep. Hilda Solis, Barack Obama’s selection for secretary of labor, bring to the job? Only a record of passionate commitment to working people, a high level of political smarts, and some genuine displays of raw guts that could make her a star of American liberalism.
Comments (2)
Comments posted to CtW Connect are the sole property of the individual posting them, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Change to Win, its affiliated unions, or its leadership.
The whole Employee Free Choice is a crime.....taking AWAY our precious right to vote. If the union had a decent product to sell maybe someone would buy it
Posted by Harry Truman on December 19, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Posted on December 19, 2008 at 1:08 PM
How do you get your videos to play in your feeds? It is great?
Posted by Charles Bradshaw on December 31, 2008 at 5:24 PM
Posted on December 31, 2008 at 5:24 PM