On Friday, President-elect Donald Trump made an unexpected move, announcing that he had chosen Republican Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer from Oregon to be his nominee for the next secretary of the Department of Labor. This announcement surprised many in the conservative business community, as Chavez-DeRemer is known for her labor-friendly stance.
Chavez-DeRemer, praised by Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, has earned recognition for being one of the few Republicans in Congress to support the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. This piece of legislation, which has stalled in committee, aims to weaken right-to-work laws in nearly 30 states and facilitate unionization efforts.
President-elect Trump taps Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, known for her labor-friendly stance, for Labor Secretary
Its Senate counterpart was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders. Trump expressed confidence in her ability to unite both business and labor interests to advance his agenda, calling it a path to greater national success.
O’Brien publicly supported the nomination, stating that the Teamsters were eager to collaborate with Chavez-DeRemer to create good union jobs and strengthen the middle class. He also referenced a previous meeting with Trump, where the president-elect had promised to address worker concerns and improve labor conditions nationwide.
Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat, also endorsed Chavez-DeRemer’s candidacy. Murray, who authored the PRO Act, emphasized that Chavez-DeRemer’s cosponsorship of the bill demonstrated her commitment to labor issues, noting she would be thoroughly evaluated during the confirmation process.
Though she recently lost her reelection bid for Oregon’s 5th District, Chavez-DeRemer made history in 2022 as one of the first two Latinas elected to represent Oregon. Before her time in Congress, she served as the mayor of Happy Valley and co-founded an anesthesia management company with her husband.
The Department of Labor is responsible for overseeing worker protection programs, enforcing labor standards, and ensuring compliance with overtime laws. While the department under Trump is expected to adopt a more business-oriented approach, his nomination of Chavez-DeRemer has already sparked criticism from conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity, which condemned the choice and urged Senate Republicans to oppose it.
Despite the conservative backlash, Chavez-DeRemer is likely to receive support from many Democrats and unions aligned with the party. The National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, for example, have already voiced their support for her, praising her record on education and worker rights. These unions see her as a pro-worker figure compared to Trump’s historically anti-union stance.
Biden’s Labor Department, led by Marty Walsh before his move to the NHL Players’ Association, was followed by Julie Su as acting secretary. Trump’s previous labor secretaries included Alexander Acosta, who resigned in 2019, and Eugene Scalia, who took over for the remainder of Trump’s first term after Acosta’s departure.
