UPDATE: Top US Department of Labor officials to travel to Gulf Coast to meet with affected workers

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Jul 06, 2010, 07:37 ET

WASHINGTON, July 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At the direction of Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, July 7 through 9, three U.S. Department of Labor agency heads will travel to Gulf states impacted by the BP Deepwater spill. The delegation will include Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training Jane Oates, Wage and Hour Division Deputy Administrator Nancy J. Leppink and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Patricia A. Shiu. During their visit, the federal labor officials will meet with local fishermen, community-based organizations, and state and local appointed and elected officials in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Secretary Solis visited the Gulf region in early June and promised to leverage her department's resources to help communities impacted by the oil spill. For information on the Labor Department's recent efforts in the Gulf, visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/gulf.htm.

All the events listed below are OPEN PRESS. All times are CDT.

Wednesday, July 7
7:30 - 8:00 a.m.	Meeting with Deputy Mayor Greg St. Etienne
	Advisor to the Mayor for Economic Development Aimee Quirk
	Director of Job 1 Program Brian Moore and
	City Attorney Nanette Jolivette-Brown
	Loews Hotel
	300 Poydras St., New Orleans, La.

9 - 10 a.m.	Meeting with local parish presidents
	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center

10 - 10:45 a.m.	Meeting with labor and health commissioners
	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center

11 a.m. - noon	Meeting with fishermen from Asian-American/Pacific
	Islander and Hispanic communities
	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center

1 - 2:30 p.m.	Meeting with area community-based organizations
	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center

4 - 5 p.m.	Meeting with fishermen from African-American community
	Zion Traveler's Cooperative Center
	120 Thomas Lane, Phoenix, La.

Thursday, July 8
8:45 - 9:45 a.m.	Meeting with fishermen, shrimpers and crabbers from African-American,
	Asian-American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic communities
	Biloxi City's public dock
	586 Bayview Ave., Biloxi, Miss.

10 - 11 a.m.	Meeting with state appointed and elected officials
	Biloxi WIN Job Center
	2306 Pass Road, Biloxi, Miss.

11 - 11:45 a.m.	Meeting with local community-based organizations
	Biloxi WIN Job Center

Noon - 12:45 p.m.	Oil Spill Resources and Claims Fair (with local nonprofits, businesses
	and community members affected by the oil spill)
	Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Conference Hall D
	2305 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, Miss.

2 - 3 p.m.	Meeting with state appointed and elected officials
	Coastal Response Center
	7385 Hwy 188, Coden, Ala.

3 - 4 p.m.	Meeting with fishermen from Asian-American/Pacific Islander and Hispanic communities
	Coastal Response Center

4 - 5 p.m.	Meeting with local community based organizations
	Coastal Response Center

Friday, July 9
10:30 - 11:15 a.m.	Meeting with state appointed and elected officials
	Workforce Escarosa Inc.
	3670-A North L St., Pensacola, Fla.

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.	Meeting with local community-based organizations
	Workforce Escarosa Inc.

12:30 - 2 p.m.	Meeting with representatives from the hospitality industry
	Pensacola Bay Area Chamber
	117W Garden St., Pensacola, Fla.

In total, senior administration officials have visited the region 62 times since BP's oil rig exploded on April 20 — including trips by President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, National Incident Cmdr. Adm. Thad Allen, Labor Secretary Solis, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Jane Lubchenco and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills.

U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor