The Senate is slated to make a crucial decision on Monday regarding Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation as U.S. labor secretary. If confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would head the Department of Labor at a pivotal time, as the White House looks to streamline the workforce by reducing thousands of government positions. Her role would include enforcing federally mandated worker rights and protections.
Chavez-DeRemer’s oversight would extend to a Department of Labor which currently comprises nearly 16,000 full-time employees with a proposed budget of $13.9 billion for the 2025 fiscal year. The department’s responsibilities are broad, including key tasks like reporting the U.S. unemployment figures, maintaining workplace health and safety standards, and investigating issues related to minimum wage, child labor laws, and overtime pay. Additionally, the department enforces laws concerning union organizing and wrongful terminations.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, has garnered support from several major labor unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Her father’s affiliation with the Teamsters and her own pro-labor record in Congress have contributed to this support. Last week, her nomination was approved by a 14-9 vote in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. All Republican members, with the exception of Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky, backed her, along with three Democrats: Sens. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire.
During the confirmation hearings, Chavez-DeRemer faced intense questioning from Republican senators concerning her past support of legislation that would enhance workers’ rights to unionize, specifically the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, also known as the PRO Act. Although she had co-sponsored the bill, Chavez-DeRemer stopped short of confirming her continued backing for it, explaining her previous position as an effort to participate in critical labor conversations. She expressed support for state “right to work” laws that allow workers the option not to join unions.
The PRO Act was not voted on during Chavez-DeRemer’s tenure in Congress, although it was recently reintroduced in both the House and the Senate. This legislation aims to empower workers in negotiating for improved wages, benefits, and safer working environments. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasized the need for such a measure by criticizing the influence of wealthy elites on the American economy.
Moreover, Chavez-DeRemer played a role in co-sponsoring legislative efforts aimed at ensuring public-sector workers’ Social Security benefits were not unfairly reduced due to receiving government pensions. However, this initiative foundered due to insufficient Republican backing.
Throughout her confirmation proceedings, Chavez-DeRemer tried to navigate the delicate political landscape, appealing to both Democrats and Republicans. She acknowledged the stagnant federal minimum wage, frozen at $7.25 since 2009, but cautioned against making abrupt economic changes.
Despite some Democratic senators and workers’ rights advocates questioning her potential independence in the role, particularly in the context of President Donald Trump’s administration’s stance towards federal employees, Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation remains a significant moment for labor policy in the United States.
