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Labor Group Says Whoever Is Chosen As Secretary Of Labor Will Be Critical For Ohio

Members of the Ohio AFL-CIO protest Andrew Puzder as President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Labor.
Karen Kasler
Members of the Ohio AFL-CIO protest Andrew Puzder as President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Labor.

A group representing 650,000 union members in Ohio opposed the nomination of Andrew Puzder, who's now withdrawn as President Trump’s nominee as the secretary of labor. But a progressive leaning think tank says whoever heads that agency is critical to working Ohioans.

What happens at the US Labor Department is very important when it comes to Ohio, says Hannah Halbert with the liberal leaning Policy Matters Ohio.  "The state’s wage and hour enforcement division has six investigators covering the entire state of Ohio. And we’re one of the most poorly staffed divisions in the nation.”

The Ohio AFL-CIO was opposed to the nomination as secretary of labor Andrew Puzder, the CEO of Carl’s Jr. and Hardee's fast food restaurants. Exit polls show many Ohio union members voted for Donald Trump on issues related to trade, but the group says its members are very concerned about minimum wage and workplace rights.

Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau

Contact Karen at 614/578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.