Elaine Chao's Absence of Accountability

In a recent six-part series, the Charlotte Observer exposes the horrendous working conditions of Carolina poultry workers, suffering among other things from unreported injuries, exploitation and medical neglect.

Looking at the latest Labor Department blunder involving its failure to protect poultry workers, it is clear that OSHA, the federal agency in charge of enforcing safety and health protections, has abandoned its job. The blame for these failures falls at the feet of our Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao.

Elaine Chao's 'leadership' at the Department of Labor should not be emulated by anyone. She has undermined the agency and repeatedly failed to serve in the best interests of workers she is charged with protecting.

As the executive director of a nonprofit organization, I have to hold myself accountable to my staff, board of directors, and donors in order to get my job done. When any problem emerges affecting the ability of our organization to fulfill our mission, I'm ultimately responsible for the outcome.

However challenging carrying out those responsibilities can be, I am humbled and inspired by the women who paved the way for me to serve in a top post. Frances Perkins is a perfect example. As the Secretary of Labor during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency and the first woman to hold a cabinet post, Perkins defined a style of leadership to which all women can aspire. Her legacy of improving workers' lives during a challenging period in American history set a standard for how the Secretary of Labor - and all women in public service - should perform their responsibilities.

But Chao's tenure as Secretary of Labor is stained with dismantling critical mine safety protections, displaying open hostility toward workers and their unions, and collaborating with corporate interests, most notably through her husband, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Her embarrassing legacy shows a complete lack of accountability at the Department of Labor.

That's not all. Some of the most disturbing examples of where Elaine Chao's priorities lie include:

•Hiring a former colleague from the Heritage Foundation, D. Mark Wilson, who actually wrote a report titled "How to close down the Department of Labor."

•Cutting over 100 inspectors at the Mine Safety and Health Administration and, as a result, hundreds of mines weren't inspected and tragedies such as Sago and Crandall Canyon might have been prevented.

•Failing to issue a rule requiring employers pay for their workers' safety gear -- contributing to 400,000 workers injured and 50 dead.

•Having an auditorium at the University of Louisville named in her honor, compliments of her husband's $14.2 million earmark, at taxpayers' expense. Elaine never attended the university, although it is her husband's alma mater.

Yet there has been little outcry to date over Elaine Chao's numerous abuses of power and fundamental lack of oversight for workers. Unlike her cohorts in the Bush administration, Chao has escaped much-needed public scrutiny of her time on the job.

For the well-being of America's workers and for the sake of the Labor Department itself, this must change.

Americans deserve a Secretary of Labor who can provide a well-balanced approach to the interests of both business and labor, not an ideologue with a blatant political agenda. Frances Perkins kept that balance, and helped pull our nation out of its worst economic catastrophe in history.

As more and more people learn about the mess Elaine's made of the Department of Labor, the more people get outraged. That's why American Rights at Work is putting pressure on Elaine Chao to change course during her remaining year on the job. By demanding accountability and setting the standard for how our next Secretary of Labor should manage the Labor Department, we hope to end the dreadful experience America's workers have endured for the past seven years.

Visit ShameOnElaine.org to learn more about Elaine Chao's record, our campaign to hold her accountable, and ways you can become involved.

Comments

[winoohno]

No offense to the author, but you could write the same article about any and all of Bush's cabinet members. It is disgraceful. There is simply too much scandal for the public to follow. It will take years and perhaps decades to undo the mess created by this Administration who consistently sides AGAINST the better interests of the American people.

[skeptical1]

Just as bush has done his job for the oil companies, Sen. McConnell's wife, our secretary of labor, has done her job for capital and done it well. Identity politics has served to obscure the basic economic war being conducted by the elites on people that work for a paycheck. As the wage rate is broken, all workers suffer. That's what outsourcing and insourcing is all about. Secretary Chao has served her employers well and will be rewarded in due course. She is a hero of capital.
In the meantime, some Democrats ignore the plight of labor and further worsen the situation by pushing the Republican NAFTA agenda and failing to press for reforms of the National Labor Relations Act that would allow for the free organization of unions in the U.S.. Our nation, is under sanctions by the International Labor Organization for the restrictions on the right to organize. This was not addressed by the Clintons either. That's why, in my opinion, they are liberal Republicans in centrist clothing.
Perhaps the next administration will appoint heavy weight who will move the country back to respectability in labor relations. We can only hope so and work to that end.

[Beckyjo]

The fact that Ms. McConnell has been honored at the University of Louisville is no surprise. These people love the good life here, and they are diligent to see that they are remembered when they are gone...their legacies, you know. Mitch McConnell is my senator. Don't you know I must be proud!!!! He is lofty and superior,thinking all Kentuckians should be honored to have him represent them. Bush has filled all of his positions with people who are not qualified for the jobs, and it doesn't matter, because they are never checked on. They are not expected to do the job properly, but he has taken care of his friends and paid all his political debts.

[ron071]

It is amazing how much damage has been done to this country by this administration. Hopefully, a book will soon appear with all of the destruction detailed for posterity. Ron, NY

[Shortyfuse]

Went to your website. Done and I also zipped one off the her enabler of a husband.
I know that things will not change before she leaves office. However,I feel that the naming of names and deeds is important for history. If we left it up to them we would never hear of their facist actions. I say thanks for the documenters of foul deeds.

[realpolitic]

It is amazing that Bush finds all those who refuse to do their jobs to place in high government service. One can bet a person who has been working their entire life to overturn environmental laws will be appointed head of the EPA under Bush. They will tell Congress during confirmation hearings that that was simply their prior job and will have no bearing on their future performance. Then they will neglect their duties for eight years, or refuse additional funding for their agencies, negate science, or anything that must be done to make government ineffective. Funny how they all say a private sector model must be used in government. There is accountablity in the private sector. People are fired. The joke is on the American people for electing twice a rube like Bush. Shame on us!

[AOoftheOPALS]

I don't know why anyone is suprised, this is exactly why she was put in place. Just look at the last 7 years of Shrub & the Thugs. 7 years of systematic destuction of American infastructure. What scares me is that after the Democrats regained some power in 2006, Ried & Pelosi are playing position games, not addressing the problems. Remember: " Impeachment is off the table". I'm begining to feel I can't trust Democrats, & libertarians are a bad joke. Now what?

[racom]

No surprises in Chao. If she actually did her job she would be shown the door just like O'Neil. Surely after 7 years of this administration we all know these people give new meaning to 'under perform'. Has there been even one cabinet member that has proven worthy of his/her office? Ruling out O'Neil, he was told to resign, I can't think of any. From labor, education, energy, treasury, national security, state, etc etc. When we speak of a failed administration, people we have a failed administration.

[realpolitic]

Richard Clark did his job and was demoted. Then he left government service. General Shinseki said we may need 300,000 or 400,000 troops in Iraq and was retired. Larry Lindsay was fired for saying the Iraq war may cost $200 billion.

Harriet Miers almost promoted to Supreme Court. L. Paul Bremer III, General Tommy Franks, and George Tenet given Medals of Freedom. Bush is the first MBA president and only rewards failure and incompetence, as long as it is accompanied by blind obedience.

[desertdweller]

Should we be surprised that Bush's choice for Secretary of Labor is anti-labor? That the EPA Administrator is anti-environment? The the head of the FDA is in bed with Big Pharma? This is what happens when you hire cronies or their spouses and children.

Michael Powell
Michael "Brownie" Brown
Karen Hughes
yata yata yata

[jqcitizen]

Bob Murray, owner of the Crandall mine in Utah, boasted that Sen. McConnell (R-Ky) considered him to be one of his 5 best friends.

It is fair to assume that Sec. Labor, Elaine Chao, Sen. McConnells wife is one of the top 5. Sen. Orin Hatch (R-Ut) might be there too.

Do not forget. Some of the men buried there were in this country illegally and being paid third world wages. The others that went in to rescue them are forever buried there as well.

It is well past time for these so-called leaders to go and take their "Pals" with them and leave the Constitution in one piece.

[minervoice]

Thanks for posting this. The lack of enforcement of mine safety laws alone is worthy of an indictment or two. The day this crowd is out of the "business" of labor law enforcement is the day American working people finally get their government back.

[realpolitic]

Yes, where are the indictments?

[desmirl]

Hire a fox to guard the henhouse? Hire a Neocon to oversee workers' safety? Just one more fact about the vicious, immoral Bush administration. Will January, 2009 never arrive?

[RPLinNYC]

Bu$hco thuggery. Disgusting.