CPAW Statement on the Confirmation of Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Coalition to Protect American Workers (CPAW) congratulates Keith Sonderling on his confirmation as United States Secretary of Labor. The Senate’s 47-41 vote puts a principled, battle-tested leader at the helm of the Department. Secretary Sonderling has consistently demonstrated that he understands that labor policy should empower workers and foster economic growth, not serve partisan political machines.
"Everyday Americans deserve a government that defends their livelihoods, not the political ambitions of union leadership," said Gene Hamilton, Senior Advisor to CPAW. "Keith Sonderling’s confirmation is a critical step toward restoring the rule of law at the Department of Labor by ensuring it protects the rank-and-file worker instead of acting as a partisan enforcer."
While the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) operates independently to govern union elections and bargaining rules, the Secretary of Labor wields enormous influence over the daily realities of the American workplace. As Secretary Sonderling steps into this role officially, CPAW encourages him to follow a clear, pro-worker roadmap:
Compliance Over Coercion: Continue steering the Department to a compliance-assistance model. The Biden administration weaponized enforcement as a political cudgel against employers; the DOL should instead empower businesses to do right by their employees without drowning in bureaucracy.
Focus on the Rank-and-File: Dedicate DOL resources to what actually matters to working Americans by enforcing wage laws, ensuring workplace safety, and expanding job training, rather than advancing the political interests of union leadership.
Protect Workers in a Modern Economy: Leverage his deep expertise in workplace technology to ensure that AI and other emerging tools are integrated in ways that protect worker rights and expand opportunity.
Under the Biden administration, union leadership prioritized political power over rank-and-file prosperity, aided by aggressive regulatory overreach. The Trump administration is correcting that course. Secretary Sonderling’s confirmation adds a critical voice to that effort, and we look forward to seeing how his leadership will build an economy where worker choice always comes first.