Silver Spring, MD – Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President John Costa issued the following statement in support of Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Labor with her Senate nomination hearing expected next week.
“As the daughter of a Teamster, Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.) understands the struggles and challenges faced by working families and the importance of unions. Her track record in Congress reflects a commitment to the well-being of workers everywhere. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer is one of only three Republicans to cosponsor the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and one of only eight Republicans to support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act. These actions demonstrate her dedication to supporting labor rights and working people.
“Rep. Chavez-DeRemer’s pro-worker stance will be closely evaluated throughout her nomination process, but we hope she will stand firm against efforts to undermine the rights and protections of American workers. Under her leadership, we expect to see a continued expansion of job training and apprenticeships and improved safety and working conditions. We also trust that she will defend workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively.
“For these reasons, the ATU endorses Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination to serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Labor. If confirmed, we look forward to working with her to advocate for workers across the nation.”