Trump to name fast-food CEO as labor secretary

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10. Trump Expected to Name Fast-Food Executive Andy Puzder as Labor Secretary

Trump Expected to Name Fast-Food Executive Andy Puzder as Labor Secretary

Mr. Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants, likely to peel back regulations

By Julie Jargon and Michael C. Bender

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Updated Dec. 8, 2016 10:45 a.m. ET

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name fast-food executive Andy Puzder as labor secretary, according to people familiar with the decision.

Mr. Puzder, chief executive of CKE Restaurants Holdings Inc., the parent company of the Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s burger chains, has been a vocal advocate for cutting back regulations he says have stifled growth in the restaurant industry, which represents 10% of the American workforce. ... Mr. Puzder, an adviser and contributor to Mr. Trump’s campaign, has criticized the Affordable Care Act and has argued against raising the federal minimum wage higher than $9 an hour. Democrats have called for raising the federal minimum wage for as high as $15.

Mr. Puzder is on the board of the International Franchise Association, a trade group that has criticized the Obama administration, saying it attacked the franchising model by implementing regulations that stunt job growth. Instead of focusing on stepping up workplace regulation to create jobs and higher wages, Mr. Puzder would likely call for tools such as an overhaul of the tax system, said Matt Haller, a spokesman for the franchise trade group.
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Mr. Puzder has written opinion pieces for The Wall Street Journal on topics such as the negative effects of President Barack Obama’s health-care law and of broad increases in minimum wage.
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—Melanie Trottman contributed to this article.