On Monday, the United States Senate confirmed former Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer as U.S. labor secretary.
As such, Chavez-DeRemer will oversee the U.S. Labor Department and have considerable power over labor regulations and matters such as unionization.
Ordinarily, a former Republican congressmember being appointed labor secretary wouldn’t be of particular significance. But these are not ordinary times. Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination was backed by unions because of her record as a pro-union Republican. She also had the support of Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
As a member of Congress, Chavez-DeRemer co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) which would have made it much easier for unions to gain members and ban right to work laws which protect workers from being forced into a union.
She also backed the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act of 2024. As described by Reason Magazine: “If adopted, the PSFNA would set ‘minimum standards’ for how states negotiate with government unions. However, these standards are anything but minimal, mandating unionization rights for nearly all government employees, requiring unelected arbitrators or outside decision-makers, and allowing automatic payroll deduction of union dues.”
Yes, this was the person who President Donald Trump thought was best suited to oversee the Labor Department. Unfortunately, only three Republican senators opposed Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation: Sens. Tedd Budd, North Carolina, and Kentucky’s Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell.
“The American people demand and deserve change after four years of economic heartache under the ‘most pro-union administration in American history,’” said McConnell. “Unfortunately, Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s record pushing policies that force hardworking Americans into union membership suggests more of the same.”
That’s all true, but it also speaks to the ongoing dismantling of the GOP’s commitment to free markets and personal freedom under Trump’s influence. As with his confused thinking about tariffs, Trump’s foolish pandering to unions might yield short-term political wins but it’s not in the long-term interest of the nation.