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| Andrew Puzder criticized as 'cruel and baffling' choice for labor secretary | |
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| Labor unions and law enforcement officials have condemned President-elect Donald Trump’s “cruel and baffling” nomination of fast food executive Andrew Puzder for labor secretary on Thursday. | Labor unions and law enforcement officials have condemned President-elect Donald Trump’s “cruel and baffling” nomination of fast food executive Andrew Puzder for labor secretary on Thursday. |
| “Trump has once again shown how out-of-touch he is with what working Americans need,” said service employees international union (SEIU) head Mary Kay Henry, calling the appointment “anti-worker extremism”. Trump hurts “working families, including those who elected him” with the nomination, she wrote on behalf of the union. | “Trump has once again shown how out-of-touch he is with what working Americans need,” said service employees international union (SEIU) head Mary Kay Henry, calling the appointment “anti-worker extremism”. Trump hurts “working families, including those who elected him” with the nomination, she wrote on behalf of the union. |
| Labor activists in the Fight for $15 movement said Puzder’s nomination signaled a shift away from the progress made during the Obama years. | Labor activists in the Fight for $15 movement said Puzder’s nomination signaled a shift away from the progress made during the Obama years. |
| Carl’s Jr cook Rogelio Hernandez called Puzder, whose company CKE owns the chain, “one of the worst fast-food CEOs”, adding that his appointment “sends a signal to workers that the Trump years are going to be about low pay, wage theft, sexual harassment and racial discrimination”. | Carl’s Jr cook Rogelio Hernandez called Puzder, whose company CKE owns the chain, “one of the worst fast-food CEOs”, adding that his appointment “sends a signal to workers that the Trump years are going to be about low pay, wage theft, sexual harassment and racial discrimination”. |
| In a forceful indictment of Puzder’s credentials, New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman said that under Puzder, CKE “stole” from low-wage workers. | In a forceful indictment of Puzder’s credentials, New York attorney general Eric Schneiderman said that under Puzder, CKE “stole” from low-wage workers. |
| “Andrew Puzder presided over a fast-food chain that repeatedly stole workers’ hard-earned wages,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “The fact that Mr Puzder has now reportedly been selected to lead the same agency that uncovered wage theft at his restaurants is a cruel and baffling decision by President-elect Trump.” | “Andrew Puzder presided over a fast-food chain that repeatedly stole workers’ hard-earned wages,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “The fact that Mr Puzder has now reportedly been selected to lead the same agency that uncovered wage theft at his restaurants is a cruel and baffling decision by President-elect Trump.” |
| Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison said Puzder was not to be trusted. “How can we expect Puzder to do his job and protect workers when his own employees are having their wages stolen?” said Ellison. “Good jobs and fair wages aren’t in Puzder’s vocabulary.” | Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison said Puzder was not to be trusted. “How can we expect Puzder to do his job and protect workers when his own employees are having their wages stolen?” said Ellison. “Good jobs and fair wages aren’t in Puzder’s vocabulary.” |
| Both the congressional representative and the fast-food cook pointed out the gulf between Puzder’s salary and Hernandez’s own wages. “Puzder is paid more in one day than we each make in one year working at his restaurant chains, and that’s the way he wants to keep it,” Hernandez said. | Both the congressional representative and the fast-food cook pointed out the gulf between Puzder’s salary and Hernandez’s own wages. “Puzder is paid more in one day than we each make in one year working at his restaurant chains, and that’s the way he wants to keep it,” Hernandez said. |
| Ellison concurred: “While he takes home a multimillion-dollar salary, many of his own employees are barely getting by.” | Ellison concurred: “While he takes home a multimillion-dollar salary, many of his own employees are barely getting by.” |
| Puzder opposes an increased minimum wage and a lower threshold for overtime pay, both of which would raise costs at the restaurant company’s main businesses: hamburger chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. Earlier this year the executive made headlines when he moved the company headquarters from Carpinteria, California to Nashville, Tennessee, where there is no state tax on personal income. In 2012, Puzder’s compensation from CKE was $4.4m. | Puzder opposes an increased minimum wage and a lower threshold for overtime pay, both of which would raise costs at the restaurant company’s main businesses: hamburger chains Hardee’s and Carl’s Jr. Earlier this year the executive made headlines when he moved the company headquarters from Carpinteria, California to Nashville, Tennessee, where there is no state tax on personal income. In 2012, Puzder’s compensation from CKE was $4.4m. |
| Puzder also drew controversy last year with Carl’s Jr Super Bowl ads starring scantily clad models devouring hamburgers, which he characterized as patriotic at the time. | Puzder also drew controversy last year with Carl’s Jr Super Bowl ads starring scantily clad models devouring hamburgers, which he characterized as patriotic at the time. |
| “I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis,” he told Entrepreneur magazine. “I think it’s very American,” he says. “I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.” | “I like beautiful women eating burgers in bikinis,” he told Entrepreneur magazine. “I think it’s very American,” he says. “I used to hear, brands take on the personality of the CEO. And I rarely thought that was true, but I think this one, in this case, it kind of did take on my personality.” |
| CKE is a privately held company. In 2013 the company was acquired by Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm named for Howard Roark, the leading protagonist in Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. Rand and her books remain significant influences on American libertarians and conservatives. | CKE is a privately held company. In 2013 the company was acquired by Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm named for Howard Roark, the leading protagonist in Ayn Rand’s novel The Fountainhead. Rand and her books remain significant influences on American libertarians and conservatives. |
| Not all conservatives were pleased by the nomination, however. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (Fair), an anti-immigration group, criticized the choice of Puzder based on his support for the eventual citizenship of undocumented workers. | Not all conservatives were pleased by the nomination, however. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (Fair), an anti-immigration group, criticized the choice of Puzder based on his support for the eventual citizenship of undocumented workers. |
| “Puzder has served as an executive of a fast food conglomerate – an industry that has thrived on low-wage labor, illegal workers, and which has lobbied for greater access to foreign guest workers to maximize corporate profits,” Fair president Dan Stein wrote. | “Puzder has served as an executive of a fast food conglomerate – an industry that has thrived on low-wage labor, illegal workers, and which has lobbied for greater access to foreign guest workers to maximize corporate profits,” Fair president Dan Stein wrote. |
| SEIU’s Henry said the only way forward was solidarity. “Together, workers in the Fight for $15 movement have made the kind of economic change America is crying out for by paving the way for 20 million people to get a raise,” she wrote. “SEIU members will not back down.” | SEIU’s Henry said the only way forward was solidarity. “Together, workers in the Fight for $15 movement have made the kind of economic change America is crying out for by paving the way for 20 million people to get a raise,” she wrote. “SEIU members will not back down.” |
| Ellison agreed. “Working people must rise up and fight back against this nomination and continue to demand higher wages, overtime pay and good benefits,” he said. “They deserve a fair share of the wealth they are creating in this country.” | Ellison agreed. “Working people must rise up and fight back against this nomination and continue to demand higher wages, overtime pay and good benefits,” he said. “They deserve a fair share of the wealth they are creating in this country.” |