The AFL-CIO reacted positively to the appointment of Rep. Hilda Solis as President-elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of Labor. In a brief statement, federation President John Sweeney said, “We’re thrilled at the prospect of having Rep. Hilda Solis as our nation’s next labor secretary. We’re confident that she will return to the labor department one of its core missions, to defend workers’ basic rights in our nation’s workplaces. She’s proven to be a passionate leader and advocate for all working families in fact, she’s voted with working men and women 97 percent of the time. The AFL-CIO looks forward to working with Rep. Solis as she charts new territory for our nation’s working men and women.”