Trump's labor nominee walks back pro-union stances

Donald Trump's labor secretary nominee on Wednesday distanced herself from previous pro-union stances that sparked Republican criticism, as she called herself a champion of the U.S. president's "America First agenda."

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a former Oregon congresswoman, was one of just three Republicans to cosponsor the Pro Act -- the cornerstone of legislative efforts to strengthen US labor law and reverse the longtime decline of private sector unionization.

But on Wednesday she explicitly renounced key elements of the bill, including measures to counter "right-to-work" laws in more than two dozen US states that let workers decide whether to pay union dues.

Describing the Pro Act as "imperfect," Chavez-DeRemer said she backed the bill in 2024 to respect the wishes of her Oregon congressional district and because she wanted a seat at the table during the debate.

Her shift at her confirmation hearing appeared to win over key Republicans, including chairman Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

But many Democrats appeared troubled by her unwillingness to back a higher minimum wage or to comment on Trump's firing of officials at the National Labor Relations Board that have left the agency unable to enforce labor rulings.

"I'm gathering that you no longer support the Pro Act is what I hear," said progressive Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Senators also pushed Chavez-DeRemer to defend Trump's flurry of executive actions, including cuts to the federal government, which critics have denounced as unlawful.

"We are moving toward an authoritarian society where one person has enormous power," Sanders said. "Will you have the courage to say, Mr President, 'That's unconstitutional. That's wrong?'"

Democrats further pressed Chavez-DeRemer on Trump ally Elon Musk's legally murky "Department of Government Efficiency," which has stationed staff at the Labor Department and other agencies, while cutting thousands of jobs.

Connecticut Democrat Chris Murphy said it was "deeply unethical" that Musk was in a position to potentially influence Labor Department workplace safety investigations into his companies and competitors.

"The president has the executive power to exercise it as he sees fit," said Chavez-DeRemer, adding that she is not a lawyer and would consult Labor Department attorneys on questions about Musk.

Teamsters president Sean O'Brien, who backed the nomination, said Chavez-DeRemer "crushed it" during the hearing.

But Erica Smiley, executive director of labor rights group Jobs With Justice, said the hearing proved the nominee "cannot be counted on to stand up for workers."

"Former Rep Chavez-DeRemer refused to commit to supporting workers' freedom to organize or to fight for workers to be paid a living wage," she added. "That is simply unacceptable."

© Agence France-Presse