But What about the Selection of a Teamster-Backed Secretary of Labor?

President-Elect Trump announced in November that he plans to nominate Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon as Secretary of Labor.  Although she lost her recent election, she serves on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, which conducts oversight of the Department of Labor (DOL).  Her voting history on major labor issues is as pro-union as it gets for a Republican, and she was one of only three House Republicans to support the Pro Act.  She will be easily confirmed as the new Labor Secretary since she will have significant Democrat support as well as that from Republicans.

At the DOL, she will be in a position to address the ongoing pro-worker DOL agenda such as finalizing wage rules regarding federal contract worker minimum wage, independent contractor classification, the salary threshold for overtime exemptions, and prevailing wages under government contract rules.  Some of these rules are contentious, both on legal and practical grounds. 

The selection should not be totally surprising in light of the fact that President-Elect Trump placed special emphasis on working class voters and union voters.  While union workers have often been considered a part of the Democrat coalition, in the recent election, half of union households voted for President-Elect Trump, and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien spoke at the Republican Convention.  Some suggest there may be increased tension within the Republican party between the populist and business-friendly wings of the party.  Further, other moderate Republican senators serve on the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, such as Senators Murkowski of Alaska and Collins of Maine.

Opposition to business-friendly policies may also come from state legislatures and state attorney generals to challenge Trump Administration actions by attempting to persuade federal district judges to halt or delay executive orders or agency regulations.  States are also increasing their own workplace laws.

It is believed that the new administration’s DOL will move from strict enforcement and legal actions to focus more on providing compliance assistance to help employers understand the rules.

This article is part of our January 2025 Newsletter. 

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