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Workers' groups quiet about Trump's pick to replace Hardee's CEO as labor sec nominee

February 20, 2017

President Trump's latest pick for labor secretary, R. Alexander Acosta, has evoked little response from workers' rights and other organizations supporting restaurant workers' interest. That is a significant difference from the ongoing criticisms levied in the name of Trump's initial choice, CKE Restaurant Group CEO Andrew Puzder. Puzder withdrew his name last weekafter a storm of criticisms against him, alleging that he violated labor laws in his current position and was unfit for the labor secretary's job.

Acosta, if selected, would be the first Hispanic in Trump's cabinet and has already won confirmation to the National Labor Relations Board, as the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and as a U.S. attorney in Miami, according to the Associated Press.

"He did very, very well," during his past Senate votes, Trump told the Associated Press.  

Hispanic advocacy groups have applauded the nomination of the 48-year-old  Florida International University law school dean. He previously clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

But just because the criticisms have thus far been relatively few regarding Acosta, does not mean many labor organizations are not watching and researching every aspect of his life. As Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights Human Rights Policy Director June Zeitlin told QSRWeb, "The Leadership Conference and our members continue to examine Mr. Acosta’s record.  It would be premature at this point to offer a specific view on how he might carry out his responsibilities as Secretary of Labor.  Workers in America deserve a Secretary of Labor who will work to improve their economic opportunities, advocate for raising the minimum wage, respect the right of workers to organize collectively, strengthen economic and retirement security, improve overtime protections, and vigorously enforce non-discrimination protections and the Fair Labor Standards Act."