by James Parks, Jan 27, 2009

With unemployment at the highest level in decades, Senate Republicans are saying they will hold a vote on the nomination of a key Cabinet member in the fight to restore jobs in this ailing economy. Some conservative lawmakers are vowing to hold up a vote on Rep. Hilda Solis' (D-Calif.) confirmation as labor secretary because of their opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, which she supports.

Solis, who comes from a union family, has been a champion of workers for more than 15years combined in Congress and the California legislature, where she was the first Latina elected to the state Senate.

Solis backers have created two Facebook groups in support of her nomination: "Americans for Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor," and "1,000,000 Strong For Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor"-and each has some 300 members who signed up in the past few days. The groups give information on how to contact your senators to urge that Solis be confirmed. Sign up for both is open to any Facebook member.

Solis has a solid record on workers' issues, says Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation. Solis, who was raised in a union family, is
a serious, thoughtful, dedicated and result-oriented leader on working family issues.

In her four terms in Congress, Solis co-authored the Green Jobs Act, which later became part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. The Green Jobs Act authorized $125 million for workforce training programs targeted to veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth and individuals in families under 200 percent of the federal poverty line.

Before coming to Washington in 2001, Solis served as chairwoman of the California state Senate labor committee. In a letter to union leaders across the country, Pulaski outlines her accomplishments in the legislature:

She advanced legislation to protect the most exploited of workers, including farm workers, garment workers and janitors.

She strengthened penalties against child-labor law violators.

She led the efforts to improve minimum wage, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation and state disability insurance.

She established the first study on the viability of a state-paid family leave program, which paved the way for California to become the first state in the union to adopt such a program.

During the huge campaign by corporate interests and anti-worker politicians to silence workers' voice through the paycheck-deception Prop. 226, Solis contributed $100,000 to help in its defeat and Pulaski says "she led the way and surpassed any other elected official in support of labor's battle."

We urge you to contact your Senators and DEMAND that YOU want SOLIS Confirmed!

www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

For More Information on EFCA please visit our website and blog

www.employeefreechoiceactnow.org

efcanow.blogspot.com/

www.FreeChoiceActNow.Org

www.LaborUnionResources.Org