The Trump administration plans to place the previous chief of an anti-union advocacy group in command of the Labor Division’s workplace that oversees monetary disclosures by unions and “union-busting” consultants, HuffPost has realized.
Elisabeth Messenger, who served because the CEO of the Oklahoma-based People for Truthful Therapy, or AFFT, is anticipated to be the brand new director of the federal authorities’s Workplace of Labor-Administration Requirements, in keeping with two sources with data of the scenario.
Billed as a member group, AFFT promotes right-to-work laws and advises public-sector employees like academics on choose out of paying union dues. “Having challenges along with your public-sector union? We might help!” the group’s website promises.
Though AFFT’s staff page lists Chip Rogers as its present CEO, a separate page on the location nonetheless lists Messenger as a chief govt. It says she beforehand labored within the publicity division of Atlantic Data earlier than becoming a member of the group in 2020.
AFFT didn’t reply to a HuffPost voicemail in search of remark Friday.
As the pinnacle of OLMS, Messenger could be charged with ensuring unions, in addition to anti-union consultants, make lawful disclosures to the federal government about their work. Whereas labor teams should file annual stories detailing their funds, employers and consultants should additionally report sure cash spent making an attempt to defeat union organizing campaigns.
Messenger’s background suggests the administration could ramp up oversight of unions whereas shifting away from enforcement towards the so-called “persuaders” who marketing campaign towards unions.
“It’s not only a bureaucrat – they’re placing an actual ideologue in there,” stated Bob Funk, director of the watchdog group LaborLab, which tracks anti-union spending by firms.
Funk stated he expects a a lot totally different focus than underneath former President Joe Biden, when OLMS made some extent of making an attempt to carry employers and anti-union teams into compliance with the legislation. Shifting ahead, he expects a crackdown on the union facet.
“It appears probably they’ll go after not simply public-sector unions however employee facilities, too,” he stated, referencing teams that advocate for employees however usually are not thought of unions underneath the legislation.
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Trump made some extent of currying favor with some unions throughout his most up-to-date presidential run, however his selection of Messenger to run OLMS received’t do organized labor any favors. She has been outspoken about what she sees as union bullying and corruption, notably within the public sector.
In a 2022 podcast interview with the anti-union marketing consultant Peter Record, Messenger bemoaned the truth that private-sector employees may be required to pay union dues in the event that they obtain the advantages of a union contract.
“Time and time once more, I see if you’re a member of a union, you might be giving up your particular person voice, you might be giving up your energy,” she stated. “It simply infuriates me. A whole lot of these employees simply didn’t have a selection.”
