Welcome Secretary Walsh!

Swearing in Secretary Marty Walsh to the U.S. Department of Labor

This is why most labor activists worked so hard on President Biden’s election.  President Biden’s appointment of Boston Mayor and former union laborer Marty Walsh to heard up the U.S. Department of Labor will give working families a loud voice at the table in Washington DC for the first time in many years.  Secretary Walsh’s statement on the day he was sworn in is a testimony to his commitment to working families.  Thank you President Biden and good luck Secretary Walsh!   

“Yesterday, as I was sworn in as the 29th secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, I thought about my mother and father, who emigrated from Ireland in the 1950s. They both worked hard, but our American Dream did not take shape until my father joined the Laborers Union Local 223 in Boston.

The union was our way into the middle class. It meant a fair wage, so we could have a home and give back to our community. It meant safety on the job, so we didn’t have to live in fear of an accident derailing our lives. It meant a pension, so my parents could retire with dignity. And it meant health insurance, so our family had access to quality care.

As a young man, I followed my father into construction and joined the same union. I worked on job sites all over Boston and saw the sacrifices working people make to ensure they can feed their families. In my 20s, because of the same benefits that enabled my cancer treatment as a child, I was able to seek treatment for my alcoholism. I am a proud member of the recovery community. Later on, as a full-time legislator, I went back to school and earned my degree from Boston College at the age of 42.

I share these personal details because they shaped who I am today, and they inform my deep belief in the work of the Department of Labor:

·         Ensuring all workers have fair pay, health care, unemployment benefits, safe workplaces and a secure retirement.

·         Ensuring equal access to good jobs.

·         Ensuring workers have a seat at the table in shaping workplace conditions and policies.

·         Bolstering career education and job training.

·         Increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment.

These are not just policies to me — these are real, tangible needs for millions of Americans, and I will continue fighting for them as I begin this new role.

We have a lot of work to do. Right now, our nation is facing unprecedented economic and public health crises that are disproportionately hurting communities of color. Hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to file for unemployment week after week, and while we are making lifesaving advances in vaccine distribution, we still have a long way to go to full recovery.

I believe we must act with urgency to meet this moment, to strengthen and empower our workforce as we rebuild. As secretary, I pledge to work in partnership with workers and businesses; states, cities and tribal territories; employees in every agency of the Department of Labor; and President Biden and Vice President Harris to help working families build back better.

Marty Walsh is the secretary of labor. Follow him on Twitter at @SecMartyWalsh.”