Happy 95th Birthday Department of Labor

March 04, 2008

(from American Rights at Work and their Shame on Elaine Campaign) On this day in 1913, President William H. Taft signed legislation creating the Department of Labor to "to foster, promote and develop the welfare of working people, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment." It was also on this day in 1933 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt nominated Frances Perkins for Secretary of Labor, the first female to ever hold a cabinet-level position. The past seven years have been tough under the reign of Elaine. From dismantling worker safety and health protections to ruining DOL employee morale, we hope Elaine's departure in 2008 brings an end to this dark era. It's time for the Department of Labor to get back to working for all America's workers.