Confirm Julie Su to be U.S. Secretary of Labor

View a PDF of this letter here.

May 25, 2023

Support the Confirmation of Julie Su to be U.S. Secretary of Labor

Dear Senator:

On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of more than 230 national organizations committed to promoting and protecting the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States, and the 129 undersigned national organizations, we write to express our strong support for the confirmation of Julie Su to serve as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. Su, who was confirmed in 2021 as deputy secretary and who is currently serving as acting secretary of the department, is an exemplary leader whose career in public service, professional experience as a civil rights lawyer, and lived experience as an Asian American woman make her exceptionally qualified for the role. There is no one more prepared to move into this role and lead the department as it undertakes its critical mission to protect working people. We urge the Senate to move swiftly upon its return from recess to end debate and confirm the nomination.

Su has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring that all working people are treated with dignity and are able to enjoy basic protections in the workplace, and her career has reflected a deep understanding of how equity, justice, and economic security are linked — especially for communities of color, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other groups who have borne the historic and ongoing burden of systemic discrimination. The inequalities in the labor market long experienced by these communities were exacerbated by the economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The work of the Department of Labor is critical to supporting working people in the aftermath of that crisis and to addressing these historic inequities and building an inclusive economy that works for all.

Su possesses deep expertise in civil rights and workplace rights and is exceedingly qualified to serve as secretary of labor. As the deputy secretary of labor, Su worked side-by-side with former Secretary Marty Walsh to advance the vision of a strong, resilient, and inclusive economy with worker well-being at its center. Su has played a leading role in the development of President Biden’s Good Jobs Initiative, which has helped to improve job standards in government contracting and grant making and ensuring that the opportunities presented by once-in-a-generation infrastructure investments are broadly shared. Under Su’s leadership as deputy secretary, the department has acted to raise wages and improve conditions for workers by raising the minimum wage for federal contractors, strengthening protections for tipped workers, and proposing that more workers be protected as employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act — actions that expand opportunity for all while advancing equity for groups disproportionately employed in those sectors. And Su has been essential to the department’s efforts to support unions and workers’ right to organize. Unions and union membership lower inequality, raise wages for all workers, and reduce race and gender economic disparities.

As the labor secretary for the state of California, Su was responsible for thousands of employees and charged with protecting and improving the well-being of the country’s largest civilian workforce. Su oversaw the state departments and boards that enforce labor laws and administer benefits, including workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and paid family leave. Faced with the unprecedented challenges posed by the onset of the pandemic, she worked with business leaders, labor, community-based organizations, philanthropists, and the tech community in California to design a High Road Recovery. She also worked to advance race and gender equity and close pay disparities, co-leading the California Pay Equity Task Force to help ensure robust implementation of the state’s gender pay equity law. And while serving as California labor commissioner, Su significantly increased enforcement of wage theft laws, helping low-wage workers make ends meet and ensuring fair and just workplaces for workers and employers alike.

Su has had an extensive career promoting human rights and protecting vulnerable people from exploitation and abuse. Before entering government service, she worked for 17 years as a civil rights lawyer. As litigation director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (formerly known as Asian Pacific American Legal Center), Su led landmark litigation to protect the rights of immigrant workers who were victims of trafficking, receiving the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant for her work. Deputy Secretary Su’s nomination is also a critical step toward increasing Asian American representation in President Biden’s Cabinet. If confirmed, Su would be the only Asian American Cabinet secretary in the administration. Su’s lived experience as a woman of color and the daughter of immigrants has already brought important perspective to the Department of Labor’s leadership, and her presence in the Cabinet would strengthen the administration writ large.

Julie Su is a tested and experienced leader who has been committed to implementing and strengthening workplace protections and improving economic opportunities for all. Under Su’s leadership, the Department of Labor will continue to build a stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive economy. We urge you to promptly end debate and confirm this nomination to ensure that the department can deliver on its mission of promoting the welfare of working people, improving working conditions, advancing opportunities, and protecting and enforcing workplace rights.

If you have any questions, please contact Josh Boxerman, senior policy analyst at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, at [email protected].

Sincerely,

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
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