Erin Ryan · February 15, 2017

RELEASE: Ohio Advocates Opposing Puzder for Labor Secretary Say Trump Has Betrayed Working People with Pick, Call for Rejection of Nominee by Senate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mike Gillis, 216.334.9068 Ohio Advocates Opposing Puzder for Labor Secretary Say Trump Has Betrayed Working People with Pick, Call for Rejection of Nominee by Senate Nominee’s record as fast food CEO stands in contrast to Trump’s campaign pledges (Columbus, OH) –  At a press conference in Columbus, Ohio this morning, a group of advocates for workers and women called on Senator Rob Portman to oppose Donald Trump’s pick of Andrew Puzder for labor secretary, citing the nominee’s abhorrent record as CEO of a fast food corporation. “Donald Trump made a lot of promises to working people in the election last year,” said Ohio AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Petee Talley.  “He promised to help the forgotten men and women in our economy, but Trump’s nomination of Andrew Puzder to be secretary of labor betrays those promises in very blatant ways,” she said. Citing Puzder’s record as the CEO of CKE Restaurants as well as his public statements, Talley said Puzder has “a callous disregard for the welfare of workers” and that his nomination is a “slap in the face to working people everywhere.” Hannah Halbert, policy analyst at Policy Matters Ohio, a non-profit policy research institute, argued that his confirmation as labor secretary would be a dangerous development for Ohio working people.  “Andrew Puzder as labor secretary would be the proverbial fox guarding the hen-house. Wage and hour violations were found at over half of Department of Labor investigations of restaurants his company runs,” said Halbert.  “Working people need and deserve a labor secretary who will focus on worker health, safety and advancement, not the extremist agenda of irresponsible corporate employers,” she said. Erin Ryan of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, a coalition of women’s advocacy organizations focused on promoting policies that create economic security for women, said that Ohio women have much to be concerned about with Puzder’s nomination.  “Making up two-thirds of the low-wage workforce, women would be disproportionately impacted by Puzder’s stances opposing commonsense, family-friendly workplace policies,” she asserted.  “Working women deserve a labor secretary that will be their champion and defend their rights in the workplace.  Andrew Puzder is not that person, and he should not be confirmed by the Senate,” said Ryan. A hearing is planned on Puzder’s nomination for tomorrow in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

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