Organized labor ‘thrilled’ with Obama’s labor pick

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Organized labor ‘thrilled’ with Obama’s labor pick
« Thread Started on Dec 19, 2008, 11:24am »

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Organized labor ‘thrilled’ with Obama’s labor pick
Posted: 07:27 AM ET
CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) — Labor unions are praising ed President-elect
Barack Obama’s selection to head the Labor Department, Rep. Hilda Solis.

A Washington-based labor official for a major union told CNN’s John King
that the California Democrat was Obama’s choice for labor secretary.

Obama is expected to officially announce his nomination of Solis during a
news conference on Friday. Obama is also expected to name Illinois Rep. Ray
LaHood as his choice for secretary of transportation.

Obama has enjoyed the support of organized labor since the campaign
season, when the AFL-CIO, the nation’s largest labor organization, endorsed him
for president, calling him “a champion for working families.”

As a senator, Obama co-sponsored the Employee Free-Choice Act, which was
designed to make it easier to create unions in the workplace. Supporters of the
plan, including the AFL-CIO, said it would increase the number of union members
in the United States and lead to better wages and benefits for workers.

If confirmed, Solis would be the third Hispanic to serve in Obama’s
Cabinet, along with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who is Obama’s choice for
secretary of commerce, and Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, who Obama tapped to be
secretary of the interior.