Teamsters Applaud Senate Labor Committee Vote to Approve Perez Nomination

Hoffa Calls on Senate for Quick Confirmation for Labor Secretary Nominee

News provided by

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

May 17, 2013, 10:28 ET

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Teamsters Union applauds the vote by the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee to approve the nomination of Thomas Perez for Labor Secretary. Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa expressed his hope that the Senate would move quickly to confirm Perez's nomination.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO )

"Thomas Perez is the right choice for Labor Secretary and the Senate needs to get him confirmed as soon as possible," Hoffa said. "I believe that we can take a significant step toward getting this country back on track with Perez running the Labor Department."

In his post as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, Perez settled the three largest fair lending cases on behalf of working families targeted by unfair mortgage practices. He fought to protect the rights of students to achieve a quality education, increased the enforcement of human trafficking laws and stepped up efforts to protect the civilian jobs of military personnel who are serving our country. He also has been a champion for voting rights. Perez previously served as Maryland's Labor Secretary.

Perez is the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. When he was 12, his father died of a heart attack and a Teamster became a surrogate father to him. That bond helped create his lifelong support for labor unions.

"We have watched the middle class get the short end of the stick for too long," Hoffa said. "We need a strong advocate for working families like Thomas Perez in the Labor Department if we are going continue down the long road toward restoring the middle class."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters