Actor Jimmy Smits, Obama’s Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America union and Democratic Socialists of America member Dolores Huerta have recorded Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) directed at workers “documented or not.”
In the video, the three DOL spokespersons announce the Department’s selective enforcement of U.S. laws as they explain that DOL intends to use its resources for both “documented” and “not” documented workers. But, the real plan is to force all workers to pay union fees as a condition of employment.
U.S. Labor Sec. Hilda Solis’ 30-second script:
I’m U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and it is a serious problem when workers in this country are not being paid every cent they earned.
Remember every worker in America has the right to be paid fairly whether documented or not.
So call us it is free and confidential at 1-866-487-9243
We can help.
Here is how this works. Undocumented workers call the DOL hot line and say that they are being unfairly paid by Employer X. Armed with this information, DOL investigators call Employer X and say they have evidence that Employer X has hired so-called undocumented workers and that it may have wage violations. The DOL investigators suggest that some type of remediation needs to occur, and then DOL will likely offer a list of options, any combination of which may be used: multiple substantial fines, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation, Wage & Hour investigation, IRS audit, and possibly imposition of a union contract to help prevent future calls from DOL.
The last option may be used as an escape clause to prevent investigations and/or fines. (During the 1990’s when the Clinton Administration ran DOL, an employer was promised that the Wage & Hour investigation, NLRB charges, and other issues would go away if he signed a contract with SEIU. Eventually, this led to a dismissal of one high ranking Clinton appointee after an inspector general investigation and a congressional investigation.)
This is another step in the Obama Administration’s continuing shakedown of employers in an attempt to entice them into agreeing to force their employees into unions.
With the legal costs associated with multiple federal agency investigations and the risks of heavy fines, Employer X could be forced out of business. Under these conditions, Employer X might begin to believe that sacrificing his workers’ rights and forcing them into a union is an option worth taking.
Why should we suspect the Obama Administration’s involvement in this type of shakedown? Besides the fact that the Wage & Hour Division was used by the Clinton Administration in an attempt to force unions upon employers in the past, there is more recent evidence that indicates that this is occurring now:
- In a November 2008 e-mail, ACORN outlined a special project, or shakedown operation, comprised of SEIU, UFCW, AFSCME, Teamsters, and the Building Trades unions along with “Legal Aid, NELP, Greater Boston Legal Services” and “dirty money hungry lawyers to suck every dollar out of the employers.” ACORN’s Ross Fitzgeraldreferred to it as Wage and Hour Centers. (note: DOL’s Wage and Hour Division put together the Smits, Solis, and Huerta PSAs above.)*
- Quoting the ACORN e-mail: “We see it as a useful tool for [ACORN] offices to have, and bring to different Unions and pitch partnerships that use the Wage and hour center in a way that fits the unions organizing targets. We see this as the only way to get to the informal sector in an EFCA scenario.” Later the memo refers to this plan as the ACORN — Worker Justice Center concept.
- According to the ACORN memo, SEIU, a substantial Obama political supporter, was eager to get this program off the ground: “Houston, Dallas – SEIU Local 1 has asked if we can specifically target janitorial contractors for litigation in the Dallas and Houston markets. This will be a contract that can hopefully lead to a recognition affiliation and shared dues arrangement.” Click here to read the e-mails.
- In New York, ACORN was not needed to organize the harassment and shakedown of employers and employees because NY taxpayers funded the operation under the direction of Patricia Smith and Lorelei Boylan through a program called NY Wage Watch that provided a similar service to the one outlined in the ACORN email. Rather than tracking down “money hungry lawyers,” Smith used the power of the state of New York to shakedown employers – much more efficient in terms of costs and time than the ACORN plan.
- Now, Boylan (Wage & Hour Administrator) and Smith (Solicitor of Labor) are in the U.S. DOL and have created a nationwide federal program like NY Wage Watch that is running full steam ahead. DOL likely has targeted employees unencumbered by forced unionism in every significantly sized city in America.
- Wage & Hour whistleblowers have let it leak that they have been ordered to give tips from union officials priority.
These DOL videos provide another peek inside DOL under the Obama Administration. Sec. Solis and her forced unionism allies intend to use the power of the federal government to force documented and undocumented workers to expand the ranks of SEIU and other unions at the cost of individual worker freedom and choice. Congress should defund these forced unionism programs; stop Sec. Solis from using the Wage & Hour Division to intimidate workers; and specifically exclude payments to or contracts with unions as a condition of settlement or negotiation with an employer.