Remembering Frances Perkins on Labor Day

[Tanuki]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Perkins

"Frances Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins; April 10, 1880[1][2] – May 14, 1965) was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. As a loyal supporter of her friend, Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), she helped pull the labor movement into the New Deal coalition. She and Interior Secretary Harold L. Ickes were the only original members of the Roosevelt cabinet to remain in office for his entire presidency.

During her term as Secretary of Labor, Perkins executed many aspects of the New Deal, including the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Public Works Administration and its successor the Federal Works Agency, and the labor portion of the National Industrial Recovery Act. With the Social Security Act she established unemployment benefits, pensions for the many uncovered elderly Americans, and welfare for the poorest Americans. She pushed to reduce workplace accidents and helped craft laws against child labor. Through the Fair Labor Standards Act, she established the first minimum wage and overtime laws for American workers, and defined the standard forty-hour work week. She formed governmental policy for working with labor unions and helped to alleviate strikes by way of the United States Conciliation Service. Perkins dealt with many labor questions during World War II, when skilled labor was vital and women were moving into formerly male jobs.[3] She was the subject of the documentary film "Summoned" (2020).

1933, Roosevelt summoned Perkins to ask her to join his cabinet. Perkins presented FDR with a long list of labor programs she would fight for, from Social Security to minimum wage. ‘’Nothing like this has ever been done in the United States before,” she told FDR. “You know that, don’t you?’’[33] Agreeing to back her, FDR nominated Perkins as Secretary of Labor. The nomination was met with support from the National League of Women Voters and the Women's Party.[34] The American Federation of Labor criticized the selection of Perkins because of a perceived lack of ties to labor.[34]

As Secretary, Perkins oversaw the Department of Labor. Perkins went on to hold the position for twelve years, longer than any other Secretary of Labor.[35] She also became the first woman to hold a cabinet position in the United States and thus became the first woman to enter the presidential line of succession.[36] The selection of a woman to the cabinet had been rumored in the four previous administrations, with Roosevelt being the first to follow through.[37] Roosevelt had witnessed Perkins’ work first hand during their time in Albany.[37] With few exceptions, President Roosevelt consistently supported the goals and programs of Secretary Perkins.

As Secretary of Labor, Perkins played a key role in the cabinet by writing New Deal legislation, including minimum-wage laws. Her most important contribution, however, came in 1934 as chairwoman of the President's Committee on Economic Security (CES). In this post, she was involved in all aspects of its reports, including her hand in the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps and the She-She-She Camps.[11] Perkins also drafted the Social Security Act of 1935. On the day the bill was signed into law, her husband escaped from a mental institution.[24][38]

In 1939, she came under fire from some members of Congress for refusing to deport the communist head of the west coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Harry Bridges. Ultimately, Bridges was vindicated by the Supreme Court.[39]"...(more)

[Laelth]

1. She was AWESOME! k&r n/t

-Laelth

[Hekate]

2. Off to the greatest with you