Luke Farley is a candidate for North Carolina Commissioner of Labor. His name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Farley is being challenged by Braxton Winston II for the seat.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office in North Carolina is Oct. 17, 2024. NC voters can check their registration status using the Voter Search tool on the State Board of Elections website.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Name: Luke Farley
Age: 39
Race: North Carolina Commissioner of Labor
Party: Republican
Website: www.Luke4Labor.com
Biography: Endorsed by Cherie Berry — North Carolina’s longest serving Labor Commissioner — Luke Farley is a workplace safety attorney with over fourteen years of experience. He’s been on the front lines keeping workers safe and helping small businesses create more and better paying job opportunities for North Carolinians while staying compliant with the OSHA safety regulations. Now, Luke Farley is running for Labor Commissioner to keep North Carolina’s working men and women safe, healthy, and employed. Luke Farley wants every worker to go home safe at the end of the workday – and the next day, he wants them to go back to a fantastic, safe, good-paying job that allows them to support themselves and their family.
Why are you running for office?
N.C. Labor Commissioner
If you are elected, what will be your top priority in office?
The top issue currently at the N.C. Department of Labor is the unfilled safety and health inspector positions, with vacancies around 25%. As Labor Commissioner, I’ll work with the General Assembly to secure the resources we need to fill these positions. This is the most important thing we can do to protect workers.
Not having a fully staffed department makes it difficult to fully protect workers. But citations are only part of the way to keep workers safe – we need an approach to worker safety that also includes education and consultation. We need to help job creators do the right thing in order to create a culture of workplace safety. That’s how you ultimately make North Carolina the safest place to work.
What is the top challenge facing North Carolina, and how would you address it?
One death on the job is one too many. I will target enforcement towards jobs and industries with the greatest risk. Education is just as important. While fines punish violations, education helps prevent them. Consultative safety visits allow safety inspectors to identify potential hazards and give employers a chance to fix problems before accidents occur. When we focus on education and fill the gaps in oversight, we can build workplaces where safety isn’t just a rule — it’s a culture.
What is an issue in North Carolina you feel not enough people are talking about it? How would you use the power and influence you’d have in this position to address it?
I want to make the N.C. Department of Labor our state’s secret weapon for economic development. We already have the infrastructure in place with our phenomenal workforce, trades programs, the community college system and public universities – we have the tools to be successful, and that’s why we continue to rank among the top states in that regard.
If we elect a Labor Commissioner who will enforce the laws & regulations in a fair, even-handed way, we’ll become an even bigger magnet for good-paying job opportunities that will uplift the economic status of any individual who’s willing to work hard – and we’ll be keeping them safe and healthy in the process.
How do you work with others you don’t agree with?
I will work with all Legislators and Council of State members to get things done, regardless of party affiliation. We are all working together to serve the people of North Carolina, and for me, there is no greater priority than keeping our workers safe, healthy, and employed.