Chao trades barbs with organized labor

Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao yesterday accused organized labor of acting irrationally in its opposition to the Bush administration.

“I think the rhetoric is really overheated and exaggerated,” Mrs. Chao said during a press reception downtown.

Leaders of the AFL-CIO labor federation have said they plan to emphasize rising unemployment during their effort to replace President Bush with a Democrat in the 2004 election.

Nationally, unemployment rose to 6 percent in April, up from 5.8 percent in March, according to the Labor Department.

About 124,000 jobs were cut from February to March. Another 48,000 were lost from March to April.

“Since President Bush came into office, workers have had to fend off attacks on the most basic rights while the economy has shed more than 2 million jobs,” AFL-CIO spokeswoman Kathy Roeder said.

She mentioned health care benefits, overtime pay and workplace safety as worker rights in decline.

Mrs. Chao said any breakdown in relations with unions results from uncooperative labor leaders.

“It’s got to be a two-way street,” Mrs. Chao said. “I can’t work with people who don’t want to work with me.”

The AFL-CIO has said the president’s policies appeal primarily to the wealthy andlargely ignore concerns of average Americans.

Mrs. Chao said increased job-safety inspections by the Labor Department and National Labor Relations Board decisions that favor workers show that the Bush administration protects the interests of workers.

Reported job accidents have dropped 8 percent in the last year, she said. Construction fatalities are down 10 percent.

She also said the $350 billion tax cut that the president signed yesterday would stimulate the economy and increase jobs.

“My greatest concern is job creation and enforcement of the law,” Mrs. Chao said.

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