A Secretary of Labor for Workers

The proud daughter of a Teamster took a big step on Friday toward becoming President Obama's secretary of Labor. California Congresswoman Hilda Solis testified before the Senate committee that will vote on whether she should head the Labor Department.

Solis promised that she would work hard every day to make sure that middle-class families don't lose hope.

We can believe that promise.

A Jan. 9, 2009 LA Times profile of Solis tells the story of how she fought against sweatshops as a freshman California state senator.

According to the Times, in 1995:

"Authorities raided an El Monte building fenced by razor wire. There, 72 Thai workers toiled 18 hours a day in slave-like conditions, stitching garments that were to be sold in shopping malls.

"Solis held high-profile hearings, called garment manufacturers to Sacramento to explain themselves and pushed for heavier enforcement of laws against sweatshops."

She contributed $15,000 of her own campaign money to fund a successful movement to raise the minimum wage in California.

Most important for a Secretary of Labor, she believes strongly that people should earn living wages, work in safe environments and have the opportunity for a college degree.

Solis' father, Raul, worked at the Quemetco battery plant in the City of Industry and met her mother, Juana, at a citizenship class.

The couple own the La Puente tract home where Solis grew up with two brothers and four sisters -- and where, when the wind shifted, they could smell the Puente Hills Landfill.

"They came with that hope -- esperanza -- of coming to a country that would allow their children to prosper," Solis said recently. "I was born here. But I still have that notion that my parents have instilled in me, that they want a better life and they know that there's opportunities here for us."

Sen. Ted Kennedy, speaking in a strong voice, said the crowds inside and outside the hearing room showed "how much we admire the nominee."

Eight years earlier, Kennedy had awarded her the John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award for her fight for workers' rights and environmental justice.

This is not an ordinary hearing, because we do not live in ordinary times. American families are suffering in ways we haven't seen in many years. And the crisis is growing worse every day.
As secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis will return the agency to one that monitors and enforces worker protections. That is change we can believe in.

Comments

[EFCANOW]

Employee Free Choice Now . Org
Educating The World on The EFCA.

Myth vs. Reality: The REALITY is the Employee Free Choice Act Helps American Workers and their Families.

Despite the need for reform, critics of EFCA continue to misinform the public about the bill and hide the serious shortcomings of current labor law. Democrats are committed to setting the record straight and passing this important legislation on behalf of American workers and their families.

MYTH: EFCA will prevent the use of secret-ballot elections.

REALITY: EFCA does not strip workers of their right to choose a secret-ballot election to decide whether to select -- or not to select -- a union representative. EFCA simply gives workers the additional option of selecting a union representative by majority sign-up.


For More Information on EFCA please visit our website and blog

http://www.employeefreechoiceactnow.org

http://efcanow.blogspot.com/

[Ssully88]

I'm extremely happy to see we have secretary of labor who understands workers safety. Also the hardships the country and the dwindling middle-class face. I'm a proud teamsters and very proud of the work my local and Mr. hoffa have done to fight for worker's equality in the workplace. I firmly believe her coming from a teamster family she'll understand the benefits and importance of having unions and expanding our teamster union. I hope she will press issues such as the Employee Free Choice Act to congress to get this very important piece of legislation passed. GO UNION!! GO TEAMSTERS!

[randyjet]

As a former Teamster, I did not vote for Mr. Hoffa as President of the union. I do have to say that he has stood on the right side of most issues and I can state that he was very good to me in our fight to raise the age limit for airline pilots. The Teamsters has been one of the more progressive unions so far and I am proud to have been part of it. Good column and good work Mr Hoffa.

[Petey131]

Ms. Solis "bienvenida!" Welcome to the Obama administration. As an American and Latino I am proud!

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

I'm very happy to see a Secretary of Labor who will defend worker's rights instead of the corporation first secretaries we've had for the last eight years.