Issued February 16, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C.—SEIU International President Mary Kay Henry issued the following statement on President Trump’s announcement he is nominating Alexander Acosta to be secretary of Labor:
“Less than 24 hours ago, working people stood together and proved with Andy Puzder’s withdrawal as Labor secretary nominee that when we join together we can fight back against corporations that take advantage of workers. Working people are still in this fight for an economy and political system that works for all of our families and where hard work means our families can get ahead. This is the lens through which we will examine the record of President Trump’s new Labor nominee, Alexander Acosta. Together, workers will stay in the streets to demand a Labor secretary who is a champion for working people and fights to represent their interests in our economy.
“In the coming days and weeks, workers will find out more about how Alexander Acosta will ensure working people have pathways to good jobs on which they can raise their families; and a real voice impacting the decisions that affect them at work, in their communities, and in the economy and democracy. We will hold Mr. Acosta to the same high standards the American public rightfully expects of our nation’s Labor secretary: to advance the interests and needs of wage earners in our economy.”