One-on-One with Hilda Solis, U.S. Secretary of Labor

The job market was in even worse shape, as unemployment skyrocketed and record numbers of Americans found themselves out of work for long periods of time. Then just over a year into her term, 29 miners were killed in an explosion in West Virginia, casting a harsh light on the Labor Department's mine safety agency. 

Even as she managed those crises, Solis was tasked with a daunting long-term mission: To reverse the plight of American workers, who, even before the recession, were dealing with flattening wages and eroding job security. The antidote to many of those trends is education, particularly in science, technology, engineering and math--skills that will be increasingly required for the best and most plentiful jobs of the future.  

Solis is also on the front lines of the administration's efforts to stoke the green energy economy, which received an unprecedented level of investment money from President Obama's economic stimulus package. Still, the nation seems far away from a true pivot to renewable energy, a goal that is likely to remain elusive without a carbon tax to transform the economics of energy. So, in short, Solis has a full plate.  

Before joining the Obama administration, Solis was a four-term member of the House of Representatives, where she focused on expanding health care, protecting the environment, and uplifting working people.  One of her key legislatives achievements was enactment of a bill that provided funding for "green collar" training for veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth and people from low-income families. 

A former federal employee who worked in the Carter White House Office of Hispanic Affairs and in the Office of Management and Budget Civil Rights Division, Solis was elected to the board of trustees of California's Rio Hondo Community College in 1985. From 1992 until 1994, she served in the California State Assembly, and in 1994 she became the first Latina elected to the California Senate.  A discussion with Solis follows here:

Solis: I have fought for working families, women, young people, veterans, people with disabilities and communities of color my entire career as a public servant. My goals as secretary of labor are to fight for the rights and safety of workers, while providing them with job skills necessary to compete in the 21st century. 

     

There are many fulfilling aspects of my work. For example, it heartens me when I meet those young people attending our Job Corps programs who are getting a second chance at life, and receiving an education and job skills. They are preparing themselves for careers, not just jobs, that will help them be successful in the future. Second, I see the good work of our staff at our One-Stop Career Centers across the country. These dedicated individuals are providing others the help they need to find employment and prepare for the jobs of the future. Finally, I'm proud that we have stepped up our enforcement efforts in the workplace to provide workers with a safe work environment as well as their right to fair pay. 

     

Unfortunately, challenges remain. Partisan politics still hurt American families during these difficult economic times, and we continue to find employers that try to circumvent the system and exploit workers. Despite these roadblocks, we continue to forge ahead to stay true to the mission of the Department of Labor.

Solis: As a member of Congress, I spent years crafting legislation to protect American workers and their families. As the Labor secretary, my role now is to be a regulator. It is one that I take very seriously.  From securing workers' wages and protecting their retirement, to ensuring a safe and secure workplace, the Department of Labor has regulations in place to protect workers and level the playing field for businesses that play by the rules. We are putting workers and their safety first. This is not to say that we do not want businesses to succeed. On the contrary, we want to highlight and partner with companies that are doing the right things for their employees and provide them with assistance they need to be successful.

     

And while we work to ensure that employees have workplace protections, we also have made investments in our workforce and training programs. We have provided $720 million in grants for training in high demand careers such as clean and renewable energy, healthcare, and information technology. At the same time, we are partnering with labor organizations, the private sector, local and state governments, and nonprofits to ensure that everyone who wants a job has both the opportunity to have the job and the skills needed to perform it in this new economy.