Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su finds herself in a holding pattern as she awaits confirmation as labor secretary, a year after President Joe Biden initially nominated her. Despite unyielding opposition, Su remains optimistic about her chances of confirmation.
During an episode of "The Takeout" podcast, Su shared with chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett that she has no intentions of stepping back and is deeply grateful for the President's backing. "When I went through the nomination, the confirmation process, I met with a lot of senators and … I have great respect for the process, for their role," Su expressed. "We'll continue to remain hopeful while also remaining focused on the job that needs to be done."
"I'm committed to fulfilling this role for as long as the president deems it necessary and as long as the American people require someone who will advocate for the working class," Su affirmed.
Su, who was previously deputy labor secretary, was tapped for the top job after Secretary Marty Walsh stepped down to head the NHL Player Association. Her nomination was advanced by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee but was unable to muster the votes to pass the full Senate, so she remained acting secretary. In 2022, Su was confirmed as deputy labor secretary in a close vote.
Senate Republicans and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin say they'll continue to oppose her nomination for a couple of reasons, but the most prominent one is that when she was California's labor commissioner, she oversaw the payment of $31 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims during the pandemic.
Su said Covid exposed flaws within California's unemployment insurance system.
"The U.I. (unemployment insurance) system was like a house with a leaky roof," Su said. "In good times, you could put a couple buckets under it and mostly ignore it. But in a storm…all of its weaknesses get revealed."
Other opponents of Su's nomination, particularly business groups, have pointed to her embrace of California legislation that limited independent contracting and extended certain protections to gig workers — including minimum wage, overtime, and healthcare.
"I do not apologize for making sure that employees who deserve protections and the right to organize [are] covered under employee status," Su told Garrett.
But Su's advocates counter that she has helped resolve sticky labor issues, including averting an economically debilitating freight rail strike in 2022 and negotiating a major deal between West Coast dockworkers and shippers this past June.
"I have been fortunate to witness the positive outcomes that can arise from collective bargaining," Su stated.
Despite the fact that there have been no indications of a change of heart among her opponents, Su expressed optimism about her confirmation during a conversation with chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett. She also expressed gratitude for the support she has received from "many" senators.
When asked by Garrett if she has made any progress with Manchin, Su mentioned that she greeted him at the State of the Union address last week, but due to time constraints, that was the extent of their interaction. Last summer, the West Virginia senator, who is set to retire at the end of his term early next year, stated that he would still vote against Su.
"I believe that the American people deserve a resilient labor secretary, and I am committed to fulfilling that role for as long as possible," Su affirmed.
During her conversation on "The Takeout," Su highlighted the employment figures under the Biden administration, citing the creation of 14.9 million jobs since Mr. Biden assumed office, as well as an unemployment rate of less than 4% over the past two years. Despite economic analysts' warnings of a looming recession in recent years, Su attributes the absence of such a downturn to the policies of the Biden administration.
"In my opinion, we can now confidently say that the economic strategies have proven to be effective," Su expressed to Garrett.
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