Days Before Confirmation Hearing, New York City Fight for $15 Workers Join Nationwide Protests Declaring Trump Labor Nominee Unfit to Serve
NEW YORK – On February 13, 2017; days ahead of Andy Puzder’s confirmation hearing for labor secretary, workers in the Fight for $15 took their opposition to McDonald’s during the lunchtime rush to demand the fast-food mogul withdraw his nomination or be rejected by the U.S. Senate.
Workers in New York City protested at McDonald’s to stress their opposition to the company’s recent support for Puzder despite an escalating series of unsavory revelations and complaints against the beleaguered nominee.
"We've heard Puzder talk about his own employees in a completely disrespectful way and it's clear to me and so many other workers in this country that he's not going to stand up for us as Labor Secretary," said Jorel Ware, who works at a McDonald's in Harlem. "That's why we're out here today to say publicly that he is unfit to serve and he should withdraw or the Senate should vote against his appointment."
The protest in New York is one of more than two-dozen rallies across the country Monday to declare that Puzder is unfit to serve. Hundreds of fast-food cooks and cashiers will also converge on CKE’s corporate offices in Anaheim, Calif., and on Hardee’s corporate headquarters in St. Louis, Mo. The protests mark an intensification of the Fight for $15’s opposition to Puzder’s nomination, which is imperiled by a drumbeat of complaints against the fast-food mogul and his chain, including rampant wage theft, sexual harassment, tax avoidance, domestic abuse, and sexism.
At the action, workers protested the "Puzburglar" who is trying to steal good jobs from hard-working New Yorkers. Fast food workers and others, including members of unions 32BJ SEIU, RWDSU, DC 37, Retail Action Project and community groups including Make the Road New York, Workmen’s Circle and the Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition called on the White House to nominate a Labor Secretary who stands with workers instead of big corporations.
“As a retail worker, I am not comfortable with having a labor secretary who has no compassion for low-wage employees,” said Beena Martinez, a retail worker at JCPenny and member of RWDSU. “Pudzer cares only for shareholders and profits and himself. If he becomes the labor secretary, business owners will get more power to abuse workers. Too many retail workers already suffer by not having access to benefits nor to full time hours and being forced to accept on-call shifts. We need a labor secretary who will stand in solidarity with low-wage workers.”
City leaders joined that call on Monday, including NYC Public Advocate Tish James, Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Lorelei Salas, New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s office.
Monday’s actions follow a series of damaging revelations about the controversial Labor nominee. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that for years Puzder did not pay legally required taxes for a housekeeper he employed until after President Trump tapped him to lead the DOL. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, former Hardee’s worker JoAnne Wise wrote about how decades of work at the fast-food chain left her with no savings, no health benefits and no plans for retirement.
"It is a disgrace that we would would have a US Labor Secretary like Puzder: a billionaire who's fought against raising the minimum wage, who calls his own employees "the best of the worst" and whose company has a long history of wage theft and safety violations," said 32BJ Vice President Shirley Aldebol. "Fast-food workers have fought for and won higher wages here in New York state and across the country but their fight continues for good jobs and a union for everyone in the industry. Puzder would be a step backward for our country, not just for fast food workers but for all working men and women. That’s why union members, community groups and progressive leaders are united in opposition to his nomination."
Fast food workers, 32BJ members and other organizations have vowed to keep up the fight until Puzder withdraws or the Senate votes against his confirmation.
"Andy Puzder is an appalling nominee for Labor Secretary and unfit to protect America's workers. His nomination exposes this administration's passion for crony capitalism."Wealthy Puzder leads firms that steal wages, cheat and exploit workers, denigrate women, and insult all hard working people. His nomination is no surprise. It is also unacceptable," said Council Member Carlos Menchaca.
"How can the head of a company found to have repeatedly committed wage theft from its own employees be nominated to lead a federal agency tasked with protecting those same workers?" said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. "Perhaps that is a question to which only our current President, and his anti-labor allies, knows the answer. What's clear is that Andy Puzder is utterly unfit to be the head of the Department of Labor, and that we in this energized and engaged labor movement will do everything in our power to ensure that he, and the mega-rich CEOs he represents, is defeated."
"The nomination of Andy Puzder to the position of Labor Secretary is completely unacceptable and yet another demonstration of this President's intent to undermine working class Americans at every turn," said Council Member Mark Levine. " We must do everything we can to stop his nomination, or President Trump will have successfully put a wolf in charge of the hen house. I am always proud to stand with 32BJ, and will continue doing so to protect the countless vulnerable workers not just here in New York, but across America."
"Andrew Puzder is the wrong choice for Secretary of Labor. America needs Secretary of Labor who has a track record of supporting working families, rather than supporting corporate interests. Today, on ROC United's 2-13 National Day of Action to highlight the tipped abysmally low $2.13 federal tipped minimum wage, we stand with the Fight for $15 to raise the minimum wage and to raise standards in the restaurant industry. We say no to Andrew Puzder for Secretary of Labor," said Saru Jayaraman, Co-Director and Co-Founder, Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC United).
"The nomination of billionaire, fast-food CEO, Andy Puzder for U.S. Secretary of Labor is a slap in the face, meant to stifle the momentum of the Fight for $15. Led by low-wage, immigrant workers and people of color, the Fight for $15 is leading a national movement for economic justice and winning real victories for working people in the state of New York. That's why it's imperative that our senators stand with us in sending a clear message to Donald Trump: New Yorkers won't be cowered in our quest for dignity and justice for all workers. No to Andrew Puzder," said Meg Fosque, Low Wage Organizing Director, Make the Road Action.
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