Trucking Stakeholders Oppose Labor Secretary Nomination

As of the time of writing, Julie Su is going through the nomination process to become the Secretary of the Department of Labor, where she will lead numerous faucets of government such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Her nomination has been a tumultuous one, with many trucking industry organizations voicing dissent against making her the Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary.

Details

Perhaps Julie Su’s biggest action in her previous position as secretary for the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency was her role in getting AB-5 passed. While it was originally intended to curb the “gig economy” of the likes of DoorDash and Uber, its wording, combined with a ballot proposition that passed that provided immunity for the original targets of the law, has made it a trucking industry regulatory staple.

Because of this, people are worried that if Julie Su becomes the head of the DOL, she may take steps to enact AB-5-style regulation on a national level. Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) President and CEO Todd Spencer had some particularly choice words:

“Since her nomination, Ms. Su has failed to acknowledge any problems exist with AB 5, despite the dramatic impact the policy has had on our members operating in California and beyond. She has also failed to adequately answer questions about her interest in pursuing similar policies on the federal level as Secretary. While we felt Ms. Su’s record in California should have prevented Senators from ever supporting her nomination, we believe her inability to answer direct questions involving the consequences of her work in California or intentions as Secretary are the reason she does not have the necessary support to be confirmed.”

Conclusion

While Su has said that she has no intention of bringing AB-5 to a federal level of regulation, industry experts are hesitant to trust her.

For her to become the Secretary of Labor, she would need to obtain a simple majority in the Senate, of which she has been having difficulty obtaining since her nomination in February.

Julie Su has been the acting Secretary of Labor since the previous secretary’s resignation in March 2023, and will likely remain as such until her nomination either passes or becomes rescinded.

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