April 17, 2001 — The nomination of Cecil Benjamin as Commissioner of Labor has been endorsed by the St. Thomas-St. John Federation of Teachers, AFT president Glen Smith announced Tuesday.
Benjamin's nomination comes before the Senate Rules Committee in the Legislative Conference Room on St. Croix at 10 a.m. Thursday. Benjamin has been serving as acting Labor commissioner since he was nominated.
Smith said, "The Labor Department needs someone at the helm who has a passion for fairness with a strong commitment to improve the quality of life of working people in this territory."
Citing Benjamin's almost three decades as president of the St. Croix branch of the AFT and his tenure as an AFT national vice president, Smith said Benjamin can bring about an improved relationship with the federal government. "This is sorely needed, "Smith said, "especially since the majority of funds utilized to administer our department is secured from the federal government through grants and programs."
Smith concluded, Benjamin has "the qualifications, background and zeal to lead the Labor Department."