Esther Ritchin is a student at Harvard Law School.
In today’s news and commentary, Trump’s picks face Senate confirmation hearings, including Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary and Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary.
As many of Trump’s cabinet picks face questioning in Senate confirmation hearings, Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination for Labor Secretary stands out as less objectionable than his other choices. Professors Sharon Block and Benjamin Sachs examine Chavez-DeRemer’s track record and the implications of her nomination. While Trump has yet to make many appointments crucial to the fate of the labor movements, such as members of the NLRB, Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination indicates the possibility of bipartisan collaboration. However, Chavez-DeRemer has not had a consistently pro-labor message. As one reporter described, “[a] spokesperson for the Trump transition, Aly Beley, told me that Chavez-DeRemer no longer supports the PRO Act—a major shift that will disappoint Democrats but might help her secure the GOP support she needs to win confirmation.” And, as Block and Sachs warn, “the Republican vision for American labor policy is based on exclusion; the progressive vision is based on inclusion.”
During his confirmation hearing, Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, expressed opposition to raising the federal minimum wage. Facing questioning from Senator Bernie Sanders, Bessent expressed that he believed minimum wage was a state and regional issue. Bessent also defended tariffs and extending tax cuts.
Daily News & Commentary
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February 17
San Francisco teachers’ strike ends; EEOC releases new guidance on telework; NFL must litigate discrimination and retaliation claims.
February 16
BLS releases jobs data; ILO hosts conference on child labor.
February 15
The Office of Personnel Management directs federal agencies to terminate their collective bargaining agreements, and Indian farmworkers engage in a one-day strike to protest a trade deal with the United States.
February 13
Sex workers in Nevada fight to become the nation’s first to unionize; industry groups push NLRB to establish a more business-friendly test for independent contractor status; and UFCW launches an anti-AI price setting in grocery store campaign.
February 12
Teamsters sue UPS over buyout program; flight attendants and pilots call for leadership change at American Airlines; and Argentina considers major labor reforms despite forceful opposition.
February 11
Hollywood begins negotiations for a new labor agreement with writers and actors; the EEOC launches an investigation into Nike’s DEI programs and potential discrimination against white workers; and Mayor Mamdani circulates a memo regarding the city’s Economic Development Corporation.