Senate Confirms Marty Walsh as Labor Secretary
Senate confirms Marty Walsh to lead Department of Labor by a bipartisan vote of 68-29
Senator Murray: “Our country cannot fully recover from this crisis, unless we begin to change that by rebuilding a stronger, fairer economy. And that starts by making sure we have a Secretary of Labor who will actually champion workers and working families.”
***WATCH SENATOR MURRAY’S FULL REMARKS HERE***
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Marty Walsh to serve as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) by a bipartisan vote of 68-29. Last Thursday, in remarks on the Senate floor, Senator Patty Murray, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), reiterated her strong support for Mayor Walsh, highlighting his record as a champion to workers and working families and his commitment to protecting workers during this pandemic and building a stronger, fairer economy that works for everyone—not just those on top.
“This pandemic has laid bare the painful fact that while our economy might work for the biggest corporations and wealthiest individuals, it doesn’t work for working families. And all of these challenges—the unsafe workplaces, the lost jobs, the low wages—are even worse for people of color, due to longstanding inequities that are rooted in systemic racism, and widening due to this pandemic,” said Senator Murray in her remarks. “Our country cannot fully recover from this crisis, unless we begin to change that by rebuilding a stronger, fairer economy. And that starts by making sure we have a Secretary of Labor who will actually champion workers and working families. As a union leader, a state representative, and as mayor—Marty Walsh has done just that.”
Senator Murray also noted Mayor Walsh’s commitment to putting workers first and his strong record as Mayor of Boston, where he created high-quality, good-paying jobs, fought to increase the minimum wage, and provided support for frontline workers who have kept our economy going through the pandemic.
Senator Murray stressed that, “His unwavering commitment to putting workers first was plain to see during our confirmation hearing. In his testimony, Mayor Walsh spoke powerfully about the importance of protecting the frontline workers who do so much to keep our communities and our country running, and rooting out the inequities that have done so much damage to communities of color. Mayor Walsh also made clear he will work with Congress to help ensure every worker has a fair, livable wage, a safe workplace, paid family, sick, and medical leave, access to quality, affordable child care, a secure retirement, and the right to join a union and collectively organize.”
Senator Murray’s full remarks can be found below.
“Thank you M. President.
“I rise today to support the nomination of Mayor Marty Walsh to serve as Secretary of Labor.
“Across the country, working families are desperate for help.
“Even before this pandemic, the deck was stacked against workers—and especially against women, workers of colors, and workers with disabilities—thanks to an unlivable federal minimum wage and subminimum wage for tipped workers and workers with disabilities that leave millions of workers struggling to make ends meet.
“A pay gap that makes getting by even harder for women, in particular women of color.
“A lack of a national paid family, sick, and medical leave policy, and quality, affordable child care for working families.
“A failure to protect workers from pandemics, workplace accidents, harassment, discrimination, and more.
“And a wave of job loss and economic uncertainty that is upending the lives of workers and retirees across the country.
“This pandemic has laid bare the painful fact that while our economy might work for the biggest corporations and wealthiest individuals, it doesn’t work for working families.
“And all of these challenges—the unsafe workplaces, the lost jobs, the low wages—are even worse for people of color, due to longstanding inequities that are rooted in systemic racism, and widening due to this pandemic.
“Our country cannot fully recover from this crisis, unless we begin to change that by rebuilding a stronger, fairer economy.
“And that starts by making sure we have a Secretary of Labor who will actually champion workers and working families.
“As a union leader, a state representative, and as mayor—Marty Walsh has done just that.
“He has a clear track record as a collaborative leader who worked across coalitions—with labor groups and the business community—to build up Boston’s middle class.
“Under his leadership, 135,000 new jobs have been created in Boston.
“He has fought for a $15 minimum wage and paid leave—policies that will help ensure women, workers of color, and workers with disabilities can succeed in the workforce and get the pay they deserve.
“During this pandemic, Mayor Walsh has also continued to show a deep commitment to the frontline workers who have kept this country running, by providing funding for emergency child care, and other resources essential workers need to weather this pandemic.
“And he would bring an important perspective as the first union leader to head the Department in decades.
“His unwavering commitment to putting workers first was plain to see during our confirmation hearing.
“In his testimony, Mayor Walsh spoke powerfully about the importance of protecting the frontline workers who do so much to keep our communities and our country running, and rooting out the inequities that have done so much damage to communities of color.
“Mayor Walsh also made clear he will work with Congress to help ensure every worker has a fair, livable wage, a safe workplace, paid family, sick, and medical leave, access to quality, affordable child care, a secure retirement, and the right to join a union and collectively organize.
“I was impressed by his answers during our hearing, and I wasn’t the only one. Mayor Walsh’s nomination passed out of the HELP Committee with strong bipartisan support, in an 18-4 vote.
“And I hope he will now be confirmed with similar, overwhelming, bipartisan support.
“Because even before this pandemic—and even before President Trump’s four-year crusade against workers—we had a long road ahead to build a truly fair, inclusive economy that works for working families.
“But now, not only is the road longer, the clock is also ticking.
“Workers—who are the backbone of our economy—have been pushed to the brink.
“They need us to confirm Mayor Marty Walsh so that we have a Secretary of Labor who will take quick action to address the urgent challenges we face, and be a valuable partner in helping our economy come back stronger and fairer for all workers.
“While we made important progress in the American Rescue Plan to extend unemployment benefits and provide much-needed tax relief for those benefits, provide direct payments to families, and protect the pensions millions of workers and retirees depend on.
“And while President Biden is taking important steps to reverse Trump-era rules that undermined workers’ rights, the road to recovery is still long, and there are still many steps we have to take, including finally raising the federal minimum wage to one fair wage of $15 an hour, passing the PRO Act into law to strengthen workers’ right to join a union, and passing the Be HEARD in the Workplace Act to protect people from harassment, assault, and discrimination.
“We have a lot to do, and no time to waste.
“So I urge every one of my colleagues to prove to families back home they understand we need a Secretary of Labor we can trust to stand up for workers—not huge corporations—and join me in voting to confirm Mayor Walsh.”
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