AFL-CIO Opposes Alito for Supreme Court

Citing a record of judicial rulings that have shown "hostility toward workers' rights," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney announced the federation's opposition to the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court in a letter to U.S. Senators.

Alito's decisions as a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit reveal "a disturbing tendency to take an extremely narrow and restrictive view of laws that protect workers' rights, resulting in workers being deprived" of protections related to wage and hour, anti-discrimination, pensions and health and safety standards, Sweeney stated.

An AFL-CIO study of Alito's record lists decisions to deny overtime pay to newspaper reporters, thwart the intent of the Family and Medical Leave Act, and block remedies for job discrimination, among other issues, Sweeney pointed out.

"Working families are hanging on by a thread in this country," he told senators. "Wages are shrinking, health care costs are rising and workers are being denied a voice on the job. Americans absolutely cannot afford to have Judge Alito making decisions that will impact the day-to-day lives of their families for generations to come."

For a review of Alito's record on worker issues, go to www.aflcio.org.