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Chamber hears Osborn

Labor Commissioner tells members about her office

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Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce members know a little more about the office of Oklahoma Labor Commissioner after last Friday’s luncheon at Mid-America Technology Center.

Leslie Osborn was the key note speaker at the Mexican Food luncheon, hosted by Than and Sally Maynard at Coldwell Banker Heart of Oklahoma Real Estate.

Osborn touched on a number of subjects that all fall under the responsibility of her office from insuring children in all 77 counties receive free education to inspecting every amusement ride in the state each year.

“We check every amusement ride once a year from the Tulsa State Fair to White Water to local carnivals.

“Our office is the safety agency for the State,” she said. “Our office is to provide safety for citizens and safety in the work force.

Another responsibility of her office is to ensure workers in Oklahoma get paid.

“If you work in Oklahoma, we have administrative law judges that make sure employees are paid their wages.”

And, Osborn says she wants family-friendly work places.

“You’ve heard the saying happy wife, happy life,” Osborn said. “I say happy employees are productive employees.”

Of all the issues and disagreements that go on, Osborn’s take on the matter is simply a lack of civility in society.

She has an application on her phone, like most politicians do, that alerts her when her name is mentioned.

“I was on “Flashpoint” one Sunday and my phone started immediately going off. By midnight I had 67 messages about my personal appearance and none about what I was talking about with Mike Turpen.

“We need to teach our children to be critical thinkers and get back to raising humans,” Osborn said meaning teach them to be nice to one another.

“I quit watching the nasty news cycle three years ago and haven’t missed anything,” the commissioner said. “I know when there is a natural disaster or important news development from my Apple New on my phone.”

She said she doesn’t have to listen to the opinion of a commentator for 57 minutes out of an hourlong news cast and told of friends and even her own aunt that don’t talk to her anymore due to listening to the network news.

Before she became Labor Commissioner, Osborn served 10 years as a member of the Oklahoma Legislature.

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