Hawley Secures Pledge from Trump’s Labor Nominee to Put American Workers First, Hold Companies Accountable for Labor Abuses

For information about Senator Hawley’s new RECA law to compensate Missourians,click here.
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Today in a Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Senate Committee hearing with Department of Labor nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer, U.S. Senator Hawley (R-Mo.) secured commitments that, if confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer would implement President Trump’s pro-worker agenda to put American workers first and crack down on mega-corporations that are violating labor laws by exploiting children.
“Let me just give you an example of bad corporate behavior, Tyson’s Food has closed down two major plants in my state, the state of Missouri, just in the last year and a half. They have cancelled contracts with farmers. They have put thousands of workers in my state out of business, and yet, we know from the investigations done by the New York Times and others, that they huge numbers of illegal child labor in their supply chains,”said Senator Hawley.
“So, they’re firing American workers, but they are exploiting child workers. Will you go after companies like Tyson’s and anyone else who would violate our labor laws and exploit children while they are firing American workers?”he asked.
Chavez-DeRemer pledged to “protect, and not exploit” all workers, and not tolerate child labor in the United States, citing the Department of Labor’s enforcement capabilities.
Watch the full exchangehere, or click the video above.
Senator Hawley also highlighted an alarming trend from the Biden Administration: more job growth for foreign workers than American workers.“During one month alone, the Biden Administration allowed 370,000 illegal immigrants to cross the border. Many of these people got work permits. And started working, competing with American workers and legal residents. Many of them union members. And of course, illegal immigrants [are] not union members. Companies don’t pay them the same wages. They don’t offer them the same protections. Speak to the danger of out of control illegal immigration when it comes to wages and benefits for American workers,”said Senator Hawley.Chavez-DeRemer pledged that protecting American workers was a top priority for President Trump.BACKGROUNDRecently, Senator Hawley has begun working on his own package ofpro-labor legislationto support American workers.Senator Hawley has long advocated to protect kids and hold mega-corporations accountable for child labor in their supply chains. Following a2023 New York Times investigation, Senator HawleyquestionedRobin Dunn Marcos, Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, about the 85,000 children the Biden Administration lost track of, leaving them vulnerable to human traffickers and dangerous child labor practices. Senator Hawley also sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding a full-scale effort be made to locate the nearly 85,000 missing migrant children.In September of 2023, Senator Hawleysenta letter to Tyson Foods CEO Donnie King, demanding answers after a disturbingreportfrom The New York Times exposed unsafe, illegal child labor practices within the company.In May of 2023, Senator Hawleyintroducedthe Corporate Responsibility for Child Labor Elimination Act, legislation compelling large corporations to eradicate unlawful child labor from their operations in the United States.Senator Hawley previouslyintroducedbipartisan legislation with Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to crack down on child labor in the United States. Last congress, the billpassedout of committee.

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