Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in response to the Trump administration’s proposal to merge the departments of Education and Labor:
The proposal to merge the Labor and Education departments is a dangerous and bad idea that should be stopped. The core functions of these two departments—serving children and protecting working people—are critical tasks that require the individual attention each receives. Furthermore, the track record of the Trump administration attacking public education and worker safety and health calls serious question into the intentions of this proposal. Merging Education and Labor instead of the business-centric Commerce and Treasury departments is another indication that this is simply about increasing privatization and handing out more power to corporations at the expense of working people. The labor movement opposes this ill-conceived plan, and we call on Congress to defeat it.
Contact: Carolyn Bobb, 202-637-5018