Scores Gather In Franklin To Oppose Labor Secretary Nominee Andrew Puzder

FRANKLIN, TN — Upwards of 100 people marched into Franklin's town square Saturday urging President Donald Trump's nominee for Labor Secretary, fast-food CEO Andrew Puzder, to withdraw from consideration and enjoy the bucolic lifestyle and pastoral quiet of Williamson County.

The march was organized by Nashville Indivisible and Middle Tennessee Jobs with Justice.

"Franklin is a beautiful place," Laura Gilbert, a member of Nashville Indivisible's steering committee, said, according to The Tennessean. "Andy, welcome. Just stay home. Don't go to Washington."

Puzder's confirmation hearing before a Senate committee has been postponed four times. It is now on the schedule for February 16. Puzder recently admitted to employing an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper for years.

Puzder has also drawn criticism for opposing the minimum wage and expanding overtime eligibility. He has described employees at Hardee's and Carl Jr.'s — owned by CKE, the company he leads — as "the best of the worst" and said he wished he could replace them with robots, because robots do not take vacation.

CKE officially relocated its corporate headquarters to Cool Springs in April.

For more local coverage and breaking alerts about news that affects you, click here to subscribe to the Franklin Patch, or find your local Middle Tennessee Patch here.

Image via Gage Skidmore, used under Creative Commons