Labor leaders who represent government employees on Thursday praised the Obama administration’s numerous efforts to aid the union movement through new regulations.

Lee Saunders, president of the 1.6 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and Mary Kay Henry, president of the two million-member Service Employees International Union, complimented Labor Secretary Tom Perez for his work supporting them. Perez responded with praise of Saunders and Henry. The exchanges illustrated the close ties between the labor movement and the Obama administration.