U.S. Labor Secretary visits Union Pacific in Omaha

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - The U.S. Labor Secretary paid a visit to Omaha on Wednesday.

Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer took a tour of Union Pacific’s training center, located at 14th and Douglas streets; and its dispatch center, located at 9th and Jones streets.

The visit is part of her 50-state listening tour. Nebraska is the 40th state she has visited.

Chavez-DeRemer met with Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena and toured the Harriman Dispatch Center, the hub controlling all UP train traffic. She said her goal is keeping young workers in their home states.

“We want to reinvest in America. America first policies are important. The men and women who build this country, we know we are building a lot around the country; the manufacturing, construction and all that. But we also need retention and we want people to stay in their parts of the country if they choose to because there’s a job there, and it’s a mortgage paying job that they can provide for their families,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

But the visit comes as she and her department face serious allegations. Reports say she had an affair with a department worker and drank alcohol on the job. She is also accused of misusing department funds.

Two of her staffers are on administrative leave. The White House and Department of Labor deny all allegations.