Staff Reports
Rumors are swirling that the Trump transition team is considering pro-union Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer for the position of U.S. Secretary of Labor. The former Oregon Congresswoman has caught the attention of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who suggests she’s a top pick for the role. This news should send shivers down the spines of freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners across the nation. It appears that Chavez-DeRemer’s cozy relationship with unions does not bode well for the rights of independent workers, who are still reeling from the prior administration’s regulatory onslaught.
Chavez-DeRemer, who served two years as a Congresswoman before losing her seat, has resurrected her name for a role that should epitomize worker freedom, not further entrench union interests. There are whispers that GOP leaders are actively endorsing her to former President Trump, but the concern among conservative circles is palpable. If Chavez-DeRemer is installed as Labor Secretary, the hope of dismantling burdensome regulations critical to the independence of freelancers could go up in smoke.
NEW on @RedState.@LChavezDeRemer is Julie Su 2.0. HARD PASS.
Independent Contractors Sound the Alarm: PRO-Act Sponsor Lori-Chavez-DeRemer Is Not Fit to Be Labor Secy https://t.co/xeEAzBFMui #Trump #JDVance #FreelanceBusting #PROAct #Freelancers #IndependentProfessionals
— Jennifer Oliver O'Connell (@asthegirlturns) November 20, 2024
Independent contractors fought tooth and nail against the disastrous policies of the Biden-Harris administration, and they will not quietly accept a new wave of union-centric leadership in the Department of Labor. Advocates for freelancers, such as the co-founder of Fight for Freelancers, have banded together in protest, emphasizing that a Chavez-DeRemer nomination would merely reincarnate the heavy-handed labor policies that limited their freedoms. To many, she represents a rehash of the dreaded Julie Su—someone who champions unions at the expense of the hardworking men and women who rely on the gig economy for their livelihoods.
Despite her Republican label, evidence suggests that Chavez-DeRemer’s record does not reflect a commitment to the conservative values of limited government and individual freedoms. By co-sponsoring the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, she has revealed her true colors. This legislation has garnered bipartisan condemnation for its radical overhaul of labor laws, seen as a blatant union power grab. It’s particularly perplexing that the Congresswoman would align herself with a bill that has virtually no chance of passage in the current Republican-controlled House while exposing her willingness to sideline independent workers’ interests for the sake of political expediency.
The current political climate demands fierce independence from a new Labor Secretary, a stance that Chavez-DeRemer seems poised to undermine. Her decision to vote against key measures aimed at protecting independent contractors showcases a concerning disregard for the very voters who once propelled her to Congress. For conservatives seeking a champion against the bureaucratic tide that seeks to micromanage America’s labor landscape, the prospect of Chavez-DeRemer in a pivotal role is anything but inviting. Her potential nomination should be met with staunch opposition from those who believe in the principles of individual liberty and economic autonomy.
