Reagan to be Inducted into Labor Hall of Honor (sic) Thursday. Be There!

Following today’s attempt in the Supreme Court to kill public employee unions, the Department of Labor will top off “Kill the Labor Movement Week” by dishonoring American labor with the official induction of Ronald Reagan into the Labor Hall of Honor this Thursday at 1:00 p.m. EST.

I’ve already written about Ronald Reagan’s Workplace Safety Legacy, so I won’t bother explaining again why inducting Reagan into the Labor Hall of Honor is equivalent to inducting Colonel Sanders into the Poultry Hall of Honor.

Inducting Reagan into the Labor Hall of Honor is equivalent to inducting Colonel Sanders into the Poultry Hall of Honor.  

An email from Bryan Slater, DOL’s Assistant Secretary for Administration, inviting all DOL employees to attend the ceremony, notes that “President Reagan is the only President of the United States to have led a major union, the Screen Actors Guild.”  Not one mention of fired air traffic controllers, nor any fond memories of destroying OSHA’s cotton dust publications because the cover displayed a photo of a worker with brown lung disease, nor any mention of Reagan devastating OSHA’s enforcement program.

Slater has encouraged supervisors “to arrange schedules, so that employees wishing to view the event can do so.” He’s warning that “seating will be limited.” Being as the ceremony is being held in DOL’s huge Great Hall, I predict attendance from a lot of outside Reagan acolytes.  But unless the Department of Labor is overflowing with employees who want to see the word “abomination” brought to life, I’m also expecting a frantic plea to all DOL Agencies moments before the ceremony begins to encourage DOL employees to fill the empty seats.

Unfortunately, I will be out of town for the ceremony. I had hoped to participate in the massive demonstration outside the Department of Labor which hopefully someone is organizing (hint, hint…)