Dear Senators:
The undersigned national and international unions strongly urge you to support the confirmation of acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su to serve as the next secretary of labor. Acting Secretary Su is exceedingly qualified for the position and has the substantive knowledge and management experience to continue her important work as head of the Department of Labor.
Su brings vast experience to the job, as a worker advocate, the secretary for the California Labor & Workforce Development Agency and then as deputy secretary at the Department of Labor. Throughout her career in government, Su has worked with a diverse set of stakeholders with different perspectives and concerns, from worker advocates to small businesses.
Deputy Secretary Su worked hard to make sure compliance information was readily available for employers seeking to obey the myriad laws and regulations administered by the department. She recognizes both the opportunities and the limitations of enforcement at an agency that administers more than 180 federal laws, covering 150 million workers and 10 million workplaces.
Together with former Secretary Marty Walsh, Acting Secretary Su worked tirelessly to carry out the mission of the Labor Department. Under their leadership, the Department helped promote equity and economic empowerment for communities across the nation, revitalizing workforce development partnerships, and helping more Americans get good-paying jobs and a path to the middle class.
Acting Secretary Su has also demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting workers and ensuring that our workplace laws are enforced fairly and expeditiously. Her work as a private sector civil rights attorney representing vulnerable garment workers subjected to horrific exploitation and as a public official in California give her a unique perspective on the challenges workers face across the economy every day.
Given her extensive background, we believe she is well qualified to address emerging workplace issues, like automation and artificial intelligence, while simultaneously ensuring that the agency continues and expands its core functions—combating wage theft, unsafe working conditions and discrimination on the job. At every level over decades, acting Secretary Su has tackled a constellation of complicated workplace issues, always delivering results for the people she serves.
As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Su has been a trailblazer for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, but also for worker advocates fighting for equality and civil rights. Acting Secretary Su’s resume and accomplishments on behalf of workers speak for themselves. She is an ideal candidate for labor secretary, and we urge you to support her confirmation.
In solidarity,
Elizabeth H. Shuler
President
Jason Ambrosi
ALPA
Stuart Appelbaum
RWDSU-UFCW
Michael Baldwin
BRS
Matthew Biggs
IFPTE
James Callahan
IUOE
Bonnie Castillo
NNU
Frank Christensen
IUEC
Tom Conway
USW
John Costa
ATU
Eric Dean
Ironworkers
Bhairavi Desai
NTWA
Mark Dimondstein
APWU
Fran Drescher
SAG-AFTRA
Tim Driscoll
BAC
Shawn Fain
UAW
Carlo Fiorletta
GIAA
Bob Foose
MLSPA
James Hadel
Roofers
David Heindel
SIU
Tori Huster
NWSLPA
Newton Jones
IBB
Everett Kelley
AFGE
Edward Kelly
IAFF
Richard Lanigan
OPEIU
Terrence Larkin
HFIU
Matthew Loeb
IATSE
Arthur Maratea
TCU-IAM
Donald Marcus
MM&P
Robert Martinez Jr.
IAM
Mark McManus
UA
Ray Menard
AGMA
Sara Nelson
AFA-CWA
Terry O’Sullivan
LIUNA
Marc Perrone
UFCW
Leonard Pugliese
AFSA
Brian Renfroe
NALC
Cecil Roberts
UMWA
John Samuelsen
TWU
Rich Santa
NATCA
Lee Saunders
AFSCME
Joseph Sellers
SMART
Kevin Sexton
OPCMIA
Anthony Shelton
BCTGM
Christopher Shelton
CWA
Kate Shindle
AEA
James Slevin
UWUA
Mark Spano
Novelty & Production Workers
Robert Suplee
IPPDSPM&E
D. Taylor
UNITE HERE
Baldemar Velásquez
FLOC
Adam Vokac
MEBA
Adam Weinberger
CSEA
Randi Weingarten
AFT
James Williams Jr.
IUPAT
Michael Winship
WGAE