AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond appeared on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the push to make Julie Su the next U.S. Department of Labor Secretary.
He believes Su is the type of person who should lead the DOL and explained the AFL-CIO is doing all it can to make it happen. The daughter of immigrants, she has the right credentials and background to stand up for workers.
Redmond is disappointed that in 2023 in the U.S., workers are still being exploited. Su, he stated, is someone who will stand up for them. She has a record of fighting workers and making America better, he added.
In the Senate, every Democrat vote is needed to confirm Su. At this point, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) have yet to announce their support for Su. They are holding up the potential confirmation hearing.
Redmond also touched on organizing in the South. Recently, the United Steelworkers won the right to represent over 1,400 employees at Blue Bird Corp., a company that builds school buses.
He explained how organizers got to know the workers and the issues important to them. They saw the unfair working conditions and vowed to make life easier for them. Redmond hopes this was a turning point and that other workers in the South will see the courage of Blue Bird employees and join a union themselves. Workers in the south should not be taken advantage of, he said.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.