USAction Praises Senate For Patricia Smith Confirmation; Calls For Approval of NLRB Nominees

Washington, D.C. –USAction today praised the Senate’s 60-to-37 vote to confirm Patricia Smith, President Obama’s nominee for Department of Labor Solicitor, and called on the Senate to swiftly confirm President Obama’s nominees to the National Labor Relations Board.

“As New York State Labor Commissioner, Smith stood up for the rights of workers and exposed millions of dollars of payroll violations,” said USAction Executive Director Jeff Blum. “This isn’t just good for workers. It’s good for small business owners who abide by the rules and have to compete against those who don’t. The fact is what’s good for the American worker is also good for small business.”

Blum noted that in New York, Smith, who will serve as DOJ’s third in command, helped win more than $20 million in back pay for thousands of low-wage workers. She cracked down on minimum wage and overtime violations, and, according to the New York Times, earned a reputation as “one of the nation’s foremost labor commissioners.”

“The previous administration failed to protect consumers, workers and honest small business owners who had to compete against irresponsible firms that keep labor costs illegally low,” Blum said. “Smith’s confirmation is part of a broad effort that will turn the Department of Labor around and make it a protector of workers and responsible business owners alike.”

Still pending before the Senate are three nominees for the NLRB – Democrats Craig Becker and Mark Gaston Smith and Republican Brian Hayes. (By law, the president appoints three members from his party and two members from the opposition party; currently, one Democrat and one Republican sit on the board and there are three vacancies.)

“We call on the Senate to confirm these nominees without delay,” Blum said. “Until the NLRB is governed by a working majority, workers’ rights remain at risk.”