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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Team Scrambles After Report He's Killing Manufacturing Jobs
The labor market is slowing, but it's all good news in the White House. The U.S. added 139,000 jobs in May, a slight decline from April, according to a jobs report released Friday. The unemployment rate remained at 4.2 percent, still within the ballpark of historic lows reached in 2023, when the unemployment rate reached 3.4 percent—the lowest it had been in more than five decades. But within the folds of the report hid a major red flag for Donald Trump's agenda: The U.S. is still bleeding manufacturing jobs. 'GREAT JOB NUMBERS, STOCK MARKET UP BIG! AT THE SAME TIME, BILLIONS POURING IN FROM TARIFFS!!!' Trump celebrated on Truth Social. But even the president's favorite conservative network couldn't hide its dismay at the slight manufacturing downturn. 'Now, 8,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in May. That's not what you wanted to see,' said Fox Business host Stuart Varney. 'Well, we're certainly holding steady,' said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. 'And under the Trump administration, manufacturing jobs are still up over what the last administration, under [Joe] Biden, had. 'The focus of my 'America at Work' tour is to increase those manufacturing jobs, and we'll continue to stay laser focused on that as the president continues to double down on how important this is to the American economy,' she added. 'But how come we're losing 8,000 manufacturing jobs in May, when there's a big push to bring manufacturing jobs back to America? How come we're losing those jobs?' Varney pressed. Chavez-DeRemer was stuck in her script. 'We're certainly holding steady,' she insisted. Since the beginning of April, Trump has pitched his global tariff agenda as a means to return manufacturing jobs to U.S. shores. But two months later, the president's on-again, off-again tariffs have done little more than add tumult to American markets and trade. Investors have learned to play the market by an unflattering acronym—TACO, or 'Trump always chickens out'—while administration officials such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick have blundered by publicly admitting they have no intention of bringing tariffs between the U.S. and other nations down to zero.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's president and U.S. labor secretary: What workforce development programs get right about employment and opportunity
Every summer, millions of young Americans begin that rite of passage of looking for their first job. It's an experience that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. One that can help instill confidence, discipline, and the acquisition of skills and talents, such as leadership, teamwork, and decision-making, in a way no other experience can. When employers create pathways to help young workers unleash their potential and imagine their own path for their future of work, companies, communities, and employees all benefit. An estimated six in 10 Americans have worked in a restaurant at some point in their work life, including one in eight who have worked at a McDonald's. The restaurant workplace introduces us to the importance of arriving on time, effectively communicating with our coworkers, managing deadlines in a high-energy environment, providing thoughtful customer service, and collectively solving problems. Today, as workers prepare for a future where technologies such as AI and automation are changing the way we work, the Trump administration and McDonald's and its franchisees are each committed to helping workers seize the opportunities of tomorrow. Enrichment programs that provide opportunities for skills training, one-on-one coaching, and financial assistance to further their education make a world of difference in helping employees forge their path ahead. Archways to Opportunity is one of the ways McDonald's and participating local franchisees help people prepare for that future. Created by McDonald's and its independent franchisees, it's a comprehensive education strategy with multiple programs that give eligible U.S.-based restaurant employees an opportunity to grow and learn. Since the program was launched in 2015, McDonald's and its participating franchisees have invested over $240 million in Archways to Opportunity and helped over 90,000 people earn their high school diploma, receive college tuition assistance, learn English as a second language, and access education and career advising services. This summer, McDonald's expects that number to grow. On Monday, we came together at a restaurant in Lewis Center, Ohio, to share that McDonald's franchisees and company-owned restaurants plan to hire up to 375,000 people across the country—the first national hiring announcement since 2020. During that visit, we talked about the importance of creating more opportunities for American workers as the Department of Labor embarks on its America at Work tour, a nationwide listening tour to hear more about the challenges and opportunities facing everyday Americans at work. The idea is to enhance workforce development and economic prosperity, promoting skills training and career education to meet modern workforce needs. We spoke to several Archways to Opportunity participants, including Anamaria Monterroso, who currently supports her restaurant organization in a variety of ways, thanks to the tools she developed through the program. Anamaria is currently attending Colorado Technical University, where she is pursuing her bachelor's degree in HR Management. She says she is determined to be the first in her family to graduate from college and is on track to do so. She even encouraged her mom, a McDonald's general manager, to utilize Archways to pursue her own educational dreams. Before joining Archways to Opportunity, Anamaria says she was very shy, and she credits the program for elevating her confidence and helping her become a leader for her team. By providing tuition assistance and access to education, training, and upskilling, thousands more Americans can get help with building their careers—many of whom will move on to career paths outside of food service. In a new survey, two-thirds of Archways to Opportunity participants said the program helped them discover a passion or interest, while three in four said the program helped them pursue a career in a new field or industry, such as health care, education, or business. By investing in people, McDonald's and its franchisees are helping a new generation of workers build a path to economic and social mobility. Nearly half of Archways participants who received a college degree said they were the first in their family to do so, much like Anamaria. Programs like these not only help companies enhance their own talent pipelines, but they also help develop talent for the American workforce writ large. One Archways participant shared that 'it was more than a check to pay for my diploma. It was a team of people who were rooting for me.' We have been lucky enough to work in many places around the globe. As we meet with workers across the country, it is abundantly clear that working hard to provide for our families and overcoming challenges to build a brighter future is a common value we all share—across geographies and ideologies. Like similar programs operated by other companies, Archways to Opportunity embodies ways in which companies are getting it right to keep American talent gainfully at work, now and into the future. Not every opportunity to learn is the same, and not every successful journey is identical. Together, American companies, through workforce enhancement programs, can help build a future where more and more Americans have access to opportunity to pursue their dreams. The opinions expressed in commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Politico
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Chavez-DeRemer travels for Trump
QUICK FIX FREQUENT FLIER: Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has said she believes one of the core functions of her job is to be an on-the-ground liaison for the administration in order to ferry back the views of workers and employers to the White House. She has set out to visit all 50 states — a goal she's mentioned in last month's Cabinet meeting, recent television appearances and several other venues. Two months in, she's already been to a half-dozen and is set to be in Ohio on Monday. Chavez-DeRemer has gone to Las Vegas to speak to a Teamsters conference, checked out the Port of Miami, visited a Denver apprenticeship center run by the carpenters union, and traveled to an Arizona community college to see its workforce development program, among other stops. Frequent travel is a part of the job for Cabinet-level officials, regardless of administration, though destinations are often shaped by White House priorities and a given secretary's personal style. Marty Walsh managed to make it to 40-plus states during his time as former President Joe Biden's Labor secretary, though he didn't get to a few in the Great Plains before he left for the NHL Players Association in early 2023. (Walsh also never moved to D.C., opting instead to stay in a hotel when in town and keeping his Massachusetts residence.) His successor, acting Labor secretary Julie Su, had limited travel for a stretch after taking over. But it picked up after the Biden administration tacitly acknowledged that she couldn't get confirmed, particularly in the later part of 2024. Biden's Transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, managed to fill the map like Chavez-DeRemer wants to — but Trump's labor secretary is trying to pack it all into 2025, rather than a presidential term. 'We'll finish all 50 states by the end of the year,' she said at the April 30 Cabinet meeting. Travel opportunities also tend to pick up when Congress is out of session as lawmakers — at least the ones of the president's party — consider it a coup to show off part of their district or state to a high-level official. But there is a considerable amount of coordination involved even in routine plans, as out-of-town travel can take weeks of staff's time to set up and run thousands of dollars once security and other logistics are factored in — to say nothing about unforeseen circumstances. 'There's a finite amount of resources to do other things,' said one DOL aide from the Biden administration. 'There are a lot of demands on your time in D.C. that keep you in town.' DOL did confirm that Chavez-DeRemer flies commercial — a detail that was infamously not necessarily a given in Trump's first administration. 'The 'America at Work' listening tour is about bringing real-world experiences back into the conversation in Washington,' DOL spokesperson Courtney Parella said in a statement. 'By hearing directly from workers, employers, and community leaders, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is working to ensure that federal policy reflects the modern workforce and supports long-term economic growth.' (Sort of) related: 'A Hit to Business Travel Is Grounding Road Warriors,' from The Wall Street Journal. GOOD MORNING. It's Monday, May 12. Welcome back to Morning Shift, your go-to tipsheet on labor and employment-related immigration. Send feedback, tips and exclusives to nniedzwiadek@ lukenye@ rdugyala@ and gmott@ Follow us on X at @NickNiedz and @Lawrence_Ukenye. And Signal @nickniedz.94. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. LEGAL BATTLES RIFS IN LIMBO: A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's executive order that enabled the administration to fire tens of thousands of federal workers and to eliminate certain agencies entirely, our Hassan Ali Kanu reports. Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said in her order federal laws give the president broad power to reorganize the government, including to order mass layoffs. But she added the White House must also follow a set of rigorous legal and procedural requirements. The judge's order blocks any new reduction-in-force notices through May 23, and pauses prior ones from taking effect. DOL and the National Labor Relations Board were among the agencies specifically named in the order. The Trump administration has already moved to appeal. AROUND THE AGENCIES DEMS NEED NOT APPLY: The Trump administration continues to rip through relatively obscure corners of the federal government to boot out Democratic appointees. On Thursday night, Trump ousted the three members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission — which works to ensure that toxic or dangerous toys, cribs and electronics are not on the market — despite statutory protections designed to prevent their removal for political reasons. The commissioners have said they intend to sue over their removals, which leaves the CPSC without a quorum necessary for much of its operations. The group includes Richard Trumka Jr., the son of the late head of the AFL-CIO, who became a conservative foil for comments he made about the safety of gas stoves. 'Is the federal agency within the executive branch?' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday. 'Who is the head of the executive branch? He has the right to fire people within the executive branch.' GOV'T SUES ITSELF: The Labor Department sued the U.S. Postal Service last week for allegedly firing a worker who reported an on-the-job injury. The lawsuit filed in the Western District of Texas accuses USPS of violating federal law by firing the worker after she reported breaking her finger while delivering mail. It also accuses officials at the postal service's Caldwell, Texas, facility of denying the worker immediate medical care, continuing to schedule her for shifts while she was injured and giving her the runaround for several days before terminating her. USPS did not respond to a request for comment. Related: 'Trump fires top US copyright official,' from our Katherine Tully-McManus. More agency news: 'The Department of Labor just dropped its investigation into Scale AI,' from TechCrunch. On the Hill TAKING ANOTHER STAB: Senate HELP Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) are reintroducing a bill to lower the age for participating in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act by allowing individuals as young as 18 to contribute to ERISA-backed plans under certain circumstances. 'Americans who don't attend college and immediately enter the workforce should be given every chance to save for retirement,' Cassidy said in a statement. 'This legislation empowers American workers, giving them more opportunities to plan for a secure retirement.' The Helping Younger Americans Save for Retirement Act would also gut provisions that backers say make it costly for businesses to cover young employees, such as mandatory audits for employers with workers under the age of 21. Unions ROCKY MOUNTAIN TENSIONS: Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' intent to veto a bill that would ease union organizing in the state has aggravated the labor movement, which is now considering mounting a campaign to bypass lawmakers via a 2026 ballot measure. Polis had cited business concerns with the bill, SB 5, and had urged legislators to make several changes that they rejected, the Denver Post reports. At issue is a law unique to Colorado that effectively requires unions to win twice, once to be workers' representatives and again — with at least a 75-percent supermajority — to have the authority to bargain over dues and other fees. 'Unions have proposed a 2026 ballot measure that would require employers to have 'just cause' before they fire workers,' the Post reports. 'At the same time, a libertarian activist is advancing an anti-union 'right-to-work' ballot proposal in response to the SB-5 push.' More union news: 'Is It Time for Unions to Rethink Everything?' from The Nation. Even more: 'CSX reaches tentative 5-year deal with BLET covering 3,400 workers,' from Reuters. In the Workplace SPANBERGER COOL ON REPEAL: Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is running to flip the governor's mansion, said she would not sign a repeal of Virginia's right-to-work law, WRIC reports. When she was in Congress, Spanberger co-sponsored the PRO Act that would have, among other things, overridden state right-to-work laws. 'I support labor,' she told the outlet. 'I support our strong Virginia economy, but no, I don't support a full repeal of our current right-to-work statute.' More workplace news: 'Amid DOGE cuts, families struggle with bills, consider leaving D.C.,' from The Washington Post. WHAT WE'RE READING — 'He championed the anti-ESG movement for years. Now, he's a senior policy adviser at DOL,' from Pension & Investing. — 'Elon Musk's regulatory troubles have begun to melt away in Trump's second term,' from NBC News. — 'Workday gets contract from US agency behind DOGE staff cuts, no other bids,' from Reuters. — 'Policy that let federal employees use preferred bathroom formally overturned by Trump administration,' from the Government Executive. THAT'S YOUR SHIFT!
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘America at Work' listening tour kicked off in NEPA
NANTICOKE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — In contrast to the mass mobilization effort, state and national leaders held a round table discussion on Saturday in Luzerne County. The goal was to discuss workforce development, but other topics concerning controversial Trump administration policies came up for discussion. 28/22 News Reporter Gianna Galli was the only TV news reporter to join the US Labor Secretary on a tour of the union building in Nanticoke, where the discussion took place. Congressman Rob Bresnahan and US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer joined other republican leaders for the round table at the IBEW building in Nanticoke. The discussion aimed to show support for American workers and hear their concerns. United States Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deemer visited Nanticoke to host a round table for the first stop on her America at Work listening tour. 'I believe in the American workforce, and we are going to create more jobs than we have ever seen before,' Secretary DeRemer stated. She and Congressman Rob Bresnahan were hands-on with equipment, technology, and items used by union workers in the trades, including the electrical industry. New Jersey military unit removes explosives from Luzerne home 'The important thing to take away is these are family-sustaining careers. These are people contributing back to our local economy,' Congressman Bresnahan said. PPL workers, carpenters, and local leaders listened for a message of infrastructure investment, bringing more manufacturing jobs to northeastern Pennsylvania, and growing the next generation of workers. What was not originally on the table of topics: Tariffs and other Trump administration policies getting major pushback. 'We need to build in this country and export our goods and services, that's all we've been doing with services. Now we need to export our goods to make our country dominant,' Secretary DeRemer continued. Crowds gather in Wilkes-Barre for 'Hands Off!' protest Secretary Deremer responded to reporters' questions about tens of thousands of doge cuts to the federal workforce by contrasting what is happening in other sectors. 'So we are seeing that workforce increase, and then it's parallel, the federal workforce to the private sector, and we are seeing the private sector jobs increase. That's great,' Secretary Deremer added. The round table comes as protests circle nationwide and right here in northeastern Pennsylvania over these issues, plus others like potential Medicaid and Medicare cuts. 'I've said this time and time again that under no circumstances will we reduce the benefits to the Americans that deserve these benefits,' Congressman Bresnahan added. Secretary Deremer is reminding those on hand Saturday what their stated focus is. 'And that's what this was about today… to tour these facilities and make sure we are on the right track and that we are staying focus on that,' Secretary Deremer said. This was the first stop of the Secretary's America at Work Listening Tour. The secretary says the people here in NEPA can expect to see growth in apprenticeships. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
U.S. Labor Secretary joins Bresnahan at roundtable
Apr. 5—NANTICOKE — The first stop on U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer's 50-state "America at Work" listening tour was at the home of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 163 JATC Apprenticeship Program. She was joined there by U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan and a number of local labor leaders. The roundtable meeting was not open to the public, and lasted for about 35 minutes — half the length it was planned for. "I hope that what you hear from me today is that you'll see me on the ground in all 50 states to tell this story and package it up for the President to say, 'Here's where we need to focus,' and that is going to be on the American worker," Chavez-DeRemer said. The discussion was moderated, in part, by Warren Faust, president of North Eastern Building Trades, and a Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers Local 44 worker. The focus of Faust's comments to Chavez-DeRemer and Bresnahan was centered on increased opportunities for apprenticeships. "With you sitting at this table — it is wonderful and speaks volumes to what the future can be together when we invest in apprenticeship," Faust said to Chavez-DeRemer. Specifically, Faust asked for grant assistance for local apprenticeship opportunities, to which Chavez-DeRemer was receptive. "This has been a conversation that we have had about the investments and the advancement and how great [apprenticeship programs] can become if that's where we put our priorities and the dollars behind it," Chavez-DeRemer said. "Expanding apprenticeship programs, advancing apprenticeship programs — understanding what that means — is a focus for the Department of Labor and for myself." Upcoming data center projects and more emphasis on infrastructure were discussed by the roundtable members as key drivers of job growth in Northeast Pennsylvania. Developing high-speed internet and improving the electrical grid in the area were also placed under the infrastructure umbrella. The topic was of particular interest to Chavez-DeRemer and Bresnahan — she previously served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and he currently does. State Rep. Alec Ryncavage questioned how the Department of Labor will recruit young people into the trades and, more broadly, into the local workforce. Chavez-DeRemer said her personal goal is to find ways for students to be skilled, appreciate their communities, and keep those communities affordable. The roundtable was rather light on tangible policy, and at times contradictory to prior comments made by President Donald Trump. At one point during the roundtable, Faust signaled support for the Biden-era CHIPS and Science Act, even though Trump called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to "get rid of" the manufacturing act during his joint address to Congress in March. There also seemed to be some confusion regarding Trump's March 27 executive order, which took aim at federal union workers' collective bargaining ability. "The President is focused on the American worker. What we want to do is make sure there are plenty of men and women in this country who can build these facilities — manufacturing, construction jobs," Chavez-DeRemer said to a direct question about the union workers' collective bargaining ability being stripped. "What we're seeing across the board is the federal workforce is slowly declining, but what we are seeing is an increase in the public workforce at the local level, where the people are." In regard to Trump's aggressive tariff policy, which places new tariffs on most of the United States' trading partners, Chavez-DeRemer seemed to acknowledge that the economy may go through a difficult adjustment period. Still, she made her support for Trump clear. "Is it going to take time? Absolutely. But are we all on board? Is this entire team that he has built on board? Absolutely," said Chavez-DeRemer. "And we're going to support the President on this and, ultimately, that is going to benefit every man and woman in this country as we get back to work." Also participating in the roundtable conversation were Tom Calpin, Ironworkers Local 404; State Rep. Dane Watro, 116th District; BJ Cryder, Boilermakers Local 13; Danny O'Neill, PPL Corporation; Dan Clarkson, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters; Bobby Scott, IBEW Local 1319; Chris Darrow, IBEW Local 1319; Kris Anderson, IBEW's 3rd District; John T. Nadolny, IBEW Local 163; and John H. Olejnik, IBEW Local 163.
