California senators are split on Donald Trump’s labor secretary nominee. Here’s why
California’s Democratic senators, historically big supporters of organized labor, were split over whether to confirm Lori Chavez-DeRemer as the Trump administration Labor Secretary, a rare schism between the two Democrats.
Chavez-DeRemer is a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon who has been seen as sympathetic to union interests.
The daughter of a Teamster, she grew up in Hanford and graduated from California State University, Fresno. As a congresswoman, she was a co-sponsor of legislation that helped unions organize, called the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. The bill has been a major priority for labor unions.
But at her confirmation hearing last month, she was not enthusiastic about the proposal. “I respect the right of the right-to-work states,” she said.
Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, both California Democrats, are strong supporters of organized labor interests. Both Padilla and Schiff, then a Los Angeles-area congressman, had perfect AFL-CIO voting ratings in 2023. Padilla has a perfect lifetime score and Schiff’s is 98%.
Chavez-DeRemer was confirmed 67 to 32 Monday night. Seventeen Democrats, including Schiff, joined 50 Republicans to support her, while 29 Democrats, including Padilla, and three Republicans opposed her.
Schiff told The Bee he talked extensively with constituents in California and labor leaders about Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination.
When they met, the senator said, he asked about collective bargaining rights and other labor issues.
“While we have our disagreements and I have many concerns, organizations representing working people believe she is the best option that Donald Trump would nominate,” said Schiff, who has been outspoken in his opposition to several other Trump nominations.
Padilla said he opposed Chavez-DeRemer even though “I respect some of the work she’s done for organized labor in the past.”
But, he said, he was disappointed that “she walked back several of her pro-worker positions, including her support of the PRO Act.”
Trump and adviser Elon Musk “have unleashed an unprecedented attack against organized labor and federal workers, and I will do everything I can to fight their anti-labor agenda,” Padilla said.
Chavez-DeRemer will oversee an agency that’s responsible for wage and hour laws, workplace safety provisions, job training and other labor-related issues.
Until January, the department was run by Acting Secretary Julie Su, the former California Secretary of the Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
This story was originally published March 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM.
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