'I won't be waiting for people to come to Frankfort to see me.'

By BERRY CRAIG

AFT Local 1360

Larry Roberts won't need a guide to show him around the state labor cabinet.

"I've been there before," grinned Gov. Andy Beshear's brand new labor secretary. The veteran trade unionist had the job in the administration of Gov. Steve Beshear, Andy's dad.

Roberts was one of several union leaders Beshear, a Democrat like his parent, chose for his transition team. Roberts said the appointment "was very helpful to me. It gave me an opportunity to meet some of the staff and ask a lot of questions."

Outgoing Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican, warred with organized labor throughout his four-year term. He was one of the most anti-labor governors in Bluegrass State history.

In 2017, Bevin pushed and eagerly signed a "right to work" law and a measure repealing the prevailing wage, both passed by GOP House and Senate super-majorities. 

Since then, he and Republican lawmakers have gone after the state workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and Occupational Safety and Health programs. Unions dubbed Bevin's labor cabinet the "anti-labor labor cabinet."

Like his father, Beshear fulfilled his promised to name a union member as his labor secretary. But under Steve Beshear, who was governor in 2007-2015, unions had a firewall against anti-union legislation--a Democratic-majority House.

The 2016 Trump tsunami in Kentucky flipped the House Republican. The GOP still has hefty majorities in both chambers. 

"If you take a positive approach to work within the parameters of the laws you do have, you can make a difference," said Roberts. "There is a big difference in being progressive versus being passive. This administration will be progressive."

Roberts pledged to "hold employers accountable," but added, "at the same time, I have to be fair in the enforcement of the law."

Roberts was Beshear's third labor secretary, following J.R. Gray and Mark Brown, both also longtime state representatives. Roberts had been state director of the Kentucky State Building and Construction Trades Council for 11 years, when Steve Beshear made him labor cabinet head.

Roberts had spent the last four years as a consultant to the Kentucky Pipe Trades. 

Like his father, Andy Beshear sided with unions on major issues. Both were state AFL-CIO-endorsed. Both were often seen in union halls on the campaign trail. 

"Andy visited with a lot of our union folks," Roberts said. He pledged to do likewise.

"I won't be waiting for people to come to Frankfort to see me. I will be coming to see them. I will be very active in talking to people and being engaged."