CWA Statement on the Nomination of Tom Perez as Labor Secretary

President Obama’s nomination of Tom Perez to lead the U.S. Department of Labor is an inspired choice who will lend a strong voice to the rights of working men and women in the United States.  Mr. Perez’s career in public service has been dedicated to protecting Americans who face discrimination in the workplace and the voting booth, as well as standing up for policies that retain and create jobs.

Under his leadership, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has challenged harmful voter ID laws in South Carolina and Texas. Mr. Perez’s work thwarted the systematic attempts to block the poor, students, elderly and minorities from exercising their constitutional right to cast a ballot in the 2012 elections.

Prior to his work at the Justice Department, Mr. Perez served as the head of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, where he focused on strengthening worker protection laws that ensured safety and wage security. Mr. Perez was the chief architect of a package of reforms to address the foreclosure crisis in the state.

For four years, he also chaired the board of CASA de Maryland, a key CWA ally in the fight for democracy and economic justice.

His experience reflects a fervent devotion to working families, we’re proud to stand with him and we look forward to working with both him and his team.

Contact: Chuck Porcari or Kendra Marr Chaikind at 202-434-1168, cporcari@cwa-union.org or kmarr@cwa-union.org