Hilda Solis speaks about infrastructure and green jobs in Labor Day video message

[Radical Activist]

Since Labor Day is coming up, this is a good time to focus on unions. I'll write several posts related to labor and the upcoming election during the next week. Here's something I haven't seen posted at DU yet.

The AFL-CIO Blog calls it the first-ever Labor Day video message from the Dept. of Labor:
http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/09/01/solis-labor-day-message-focuses-on-jobs/#more-34846

You can watch the video or read the transcript at the Dept. of Labor site.
http://www.dol.gov/laborday

We are taking actions that have meaning today and tomorrow. One of those actions involves rebuilding our national infrastructure, which is so critical. As a result of our quick and bold actions, millions of people are at work, building and rebuilding American roads, bridges, ports and high speed railways.

And we are also investing in a new American foundation and a whole new American industry and employer: and that’s clean energy. We look at that investment two ways: advances in biofuels, wind and solar power, will not only reduce our dependence on foreign energy, but also reenergize the American manufacturing sector.

I’ve long believed that green jobs can be great jobs, and jobs every American can take advantage of. Green jobs can be a new and exciting pathway to the middle class and these jobs will not be outsourced.

She also celebrated the right to organize.

And to those who want to deny workers a voice in the workplace, let me be clear: This Secretary of Labor recognizes respects and celebrates a workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively.

[dkf]

1. She isn't very visible is she?

[Tansy_Gold]

2. So invisible the OP doesn't know who she is.

Her name is HILDA Solis, not Linda.





Tansy Gold, who is

[Radical Activist]

3. I don't expect the corporate press to cover any pro-union Labor Secretary.

Only a few Cabinet members get much press coverage anyway. It would be cool if the video gets passed around.

[SoCalDem]

4. Talk is cheap, and unemployed people won't take much from it.

If bosses are sitting on their piles of loot & refusing to hire people, there's not a lot that anyone can do.

I know the admin is trying, but it's hard to force bosses to hire.

[Radical Activist]

5. The grants to fund direct public works and green energy projects

force them to hire people. Those are real jobs, not just talk.