AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released a Labor Day statement on Monday that said President Trump has “assaulted” key regulations protecting workers after courting the middle class vote during the 2016 election.
“He had a good rap and a lot of workers bought onto that rap, but he really hasn’t done a good job after he got in as president,” Trumka said on CNN. “He’s assaulted just about every health and safety regulation that’s out there.”
Trump also cannot take credit for rosy job numbers, Trumka said, referring to the extra 1.2 million jobs added to the economy since January.
“The first six months in office he produced fewer jobs than Obama did in the last six months that Obama was in office,” Trumka continued. “Wages still need to be adjusted because workers have gotten behind in this recovery, and the stock market going through the roof doesn’t mean anything to a worker whose paycheck is flat and has been flat for the last 10 years.”
Trumka said Trump’s pending decision on DACA could prevent union groups negotiating fairer wages for every worker.
“Taking away their rights, making them exposed to being fired at will is not only cruel, it’s very, very wrong for the economy,” he said. “It’s the wrong thing to do.”
