Service Employees International Union wants to take dues from fast-food workers, and the Obama administration wants to help.
Mary Beth Maxwell, principal deputy assistant secretary for policy in the U.S. Department of Labor, praised SEIU’s “Fight for $15″ unionization campaign in a June entry on the labor department’s website.
Fast-food workers, Maxwell wrote, “are showing that coming together to form unions is still how workers can raise their voices.”
“Although it is unclear yet what protection the law affords them, as long as they have the courage that comes from acting together, they’re willing to take risks every day to build a better future for their families,” Maxwell added.
Encouraging words, no doubt, from one of the nation’s top labor officials. And not unexpected, given Maxwell’s background.
Before joining the Obama administration, Maxwell was executive director at union front group American Rights at Work. Before that, Maxwell was a national field director for union front Jobs With Justice.
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Jason Hart ([email protected]) is a labor reporter for Watchdog.org. An earlier version of this article was published at http://watchdog.org/226579/obama-union-fight/. Reprinted with permission.
