February 28, 2023
Contact: Mike Roth, 916.813.1554
Maria Elena Jauregui, 818.355.5291 (Spanish-language)
Sacramento, CA — The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California released the following statement from David Huerta, President of SEIU California and SEIU-USWW (United Service Workers West):
“President Biden’s appointment of Julie Su as U.S. Labor Secretary adds to his record as the most pro-worker president of our generation. Having spent three decades fighting for worker justice, Su is extraordinarily well-suited to take on the role of our nation’s chief workers’ rights officer.
“As California’s Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Su earned the respect of worker organizations and ethical employers alike; she knows that fair enforcement of labor laws benefits workers and employers who follow the rules.
“To ‘Build Back Better’ after the pandemic, our nation must acknowledge that disempowerment of workers has created an epidemic of unsafe workplaces, low-quality jobs, and exploitation. A recent, explosive report on the prevalence of immigrant child labor must be a call to action: labor laws must be fairly enforced, and workers must be empowered to report abuses, free from fear of retaliation or deportation. We strongly support Julie Su’s confirmation and look forward to working with her to ensure worker empowerment is at the center of our nation’s path toward inclusion and justice.”
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