WASHINGTON – Throughout the month of May, the nation celebrated the contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Acting Secretary Su observed the month by sharing her perspective as well as highlighting the work of the Department of Labor. 

Acting Secretary Su spoke to the media about the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2023 effort to release  the monthly unemployment rate and other key statistics for Asian subgroups: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian. This type of real-time disaggregated information allows policymakers and community stakeholders to identify who needs assistance, particularly during hard economic times, and where to focus resources. 

In media interviews in May, Acting Secretary Su also addressed the importance of language access, including the department’s recent translation of Worker.gov into more languages, including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic and Korean, and making MigrantWorker.gov available in Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

On May 20, 2024, Acting Secretary Su appeared on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to speak to the significance of AANHPI Heritage Month, saying “this is a month to celebrate the beautiful diversity of all of us who call ourselves Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. And for President Biden, who believes not just in theory, but in this idea of a country –  out of many one –  the celebration of diversity is something that's very core to who he is.” Click here to watch the full interview. 

On May 24, 2024, Acting Secretary appeared on ABC New’s Nightline with Juju Chang alongside fellow AANHPI cabinet members U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Arati Prabhakar. They spoke about President Biden’s commitment to diversity and AA NHPI communities nationwide. 

When asked by Chang about how her experience as the child of immigrants impacts her work at the Department of Labor, Acting Secretary Su said: “I grew up translating for my parents the way so many immigrant children do, and that experience had a really profound effect on my sense of belonging, the importance of language. And so, I went to law school to become a translator. The language of law for people who were marginalized, discriminated against and exploited.” Click here to watch the interview. 

Read additional coverage here: 

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su wants American dream for all

By Matthew Yoshimoto | May 14, 2024 

“As a child of Chinese immigrants, Su shared her excitement to continue working on workers’ rights and civil rights particularly in disenfranchised communities. Su noted ongoing efforts by the Department of Labor to make information more accessible by expanding the number of AANHPI language translations. 

‘Growing up and translating taught me a lot about the power of language, and as I grew up, I realized the law is really a language and you get to decide who gets what our society gets to work and who doesn’t, who gets paid and who doesn’t, who gets to migrate and march and marry and vote and partake in America,’ Su said during the conversation. ‘Language access is so important’.”

Disaggregated Data is America’s Super Power: It’s Crucial to be Counted

By Sunita Sohrabji | May 23, 2024 

“Standards for federal data collection have not changed since 1997. But in a monumental move, the Office of Management and Budget March 28 announced new standards for data collection, to be implemented by the Census Bureau and other federal agencies. Most significantly, changes in reclassification allows Middle Easterners and North Africans to be identified as a racial category, a move the MENA community has fought for for several years.” 

U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su Reflects on Family’s Immigration, Value of Unions

By Tracy Huang | May 24, 2024 

“In an interview with news company NRG, she said, ‘I believe in the transformative power of America, and I know the transformative power of a good job. To all workers who are toiling in the shadows, to workers who are organizing for power and respect in the workplace, know that we see you.’”

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su today released the following statement on news of a final contract agreement between the United Steelworkers and Blue Bird Corp, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of low- and zero-emission school buses.

“Congratulations to the United Steelworkers and Blue Bird on their dedication and perseverance in achieving a first contract. As President Biden and I have said, collective bargaining works. This agreement is proof-positive that when workers and employers sit down at the bargaining table together, they can come to a deal that achieves stability for the employer and better and safer conditions for their workers.

“Far too often, employers engage in harmful stall tactics to undercut worker voice and avoid entering into a first contract with a newly formed union. This historic agreement is an example of collective bargaining done right. I applaud the United Steelworkers and Blue Bird for demonstrating the power and benefits of worker voice. 

“I also want to recognize both parties for their leadership, reinforcing that the EV transition and good union jobs go together. Through these negotiations, the United Steelworkers and Blue Bird Corp. are charting a future where union workers, high-road businesses and clean energy keep our country running. This progress will benefit their workers, their company and our country.”

WASHINGTON — The Department of Labor today announced the release of a far-reaching set of principles that provide employers and developers that create and deploy artificial intelligence with guidance for designing and implementing these emerging technologies in ways that enhance job quality and protect workers’ rights.

Developed as a result of President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, this initiative underscores the administration's commitment to ensuring AI technologies strengthen worker empowerment and well-being while addressing risks to workers.

“Workers must be at the heart of our nation’s approach to AI technology development and use,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “These principles announced today reflect the Biden-Harris administration’s belief that, in addition to complying with existing laws, artificial intelligence should also enhance the quality of work and life for all workers. As employers and developers implement these principles, we are determined to create a future where technology serves the needs of people above all.

Specifically, the AI principles emphasize ethical development; transparency in its use; meaningful worker engagement in system design, use, governance and oversight; protection of workers’ rights; and use of AI to enhance work.

The department remains committed to monitoring AI’s impact on the workforce and partnering with companies, unions, and other stakeholders to protect and empower workers. As part of this effort, the department will soon provide employers and developers with best practices to consider as they implement the AI principles. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the April 2024 Employment Situation report: 

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 175,000 jobs in April, and the unemployment rate was 3.9 percent. This continues the longest stretch of such low unemployment in more than a half century.  

“Notably, the share of working age women in the labor force rose to a historic high of 78 percent. This is the highest the rate has been since we began tracking the data in 1948, and it is a welcome sign after the devastating effects that COVID-19 had on working women. Overall, the labor force participation rate among prime-age workers continues to outpace its pre-pandemic levels.  

“Once again, this report shows steady, stable economic growth under President Biden, and those gains are broadly felt across industries and among a diverse cross-section of America’s workers. The Biden-Harris administration will continue to work to ensure our economy doesn’t just return to pre-pandemic norms, but that it instead grows equitably, where all of America’s workers can gain real security and opportunity.” 

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary Julie Su today issued the following statement on the announcement that the Biden-Harris administration’s CHIPS and Science Act and its Investing in America agenda have resulted in Micron Technology Inc. announcing the construction of three new fabrication facilities, which are expected to create more than 70,000 jobs:

“For President Biden, ‘made in America’ is not a slogan – it’s an economic strategy. Today’s announcement is helping to bring that strategy to life with an investment in Micron, a company that is building three new fabrication facilities so that the semiconductors that power everything from electric vehicles to cell phones to satellites, are made right here at home, creating more than 70,000 jobs. 

 “Micron is not just a company on the cutting edge of the semiconductor industry; it’s also leading the way forward on pro-worker business practices. Micron is building its two new fabrication sites with Project Labor Agreements, which means construction workers get collectively bargained wages, benefits, and safety protections. The company clearly values employees' collective voice and contribution to positive outcomes: it has committed to respecting its workers’ right to organize and plans to open discussions for labor peace on the project. And, once built, Micron will provide childcare for workers at these sites. 

“Also included in today’s announcement is Micron’s commitment to join the Department of Labor’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Table. This group of labor, industry, and workforce organizations will make sure that the next generation of America’s manufacturing workers are diverse and that people who have been left out in the past can get these good jobs, while employers will have the pipeline of job-ready workers they need. Micron is also expanding its Registered Apprenticeship programs that connect workers, including those from communities that have historically been left behind, with these good jobs in their communities. 

“Taken together, along with the partnerships that the company is forging with labor unions, Micron’s commitments demonstrate that the best investment a company can make is in its workers. And the Biden-Harris administration’s investment in Micron is one more way that we’re growing our economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”

Editor's Note: This statement has been updated to correct the number and location of facilities announced today. 

WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today announced the launch of an interactive map to help workers, unions and the public learn more about the tens of thousands of jobs being created nationwide by more than 1,000 planned clean energy projects, in line with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to creating good jobs while tackling the climate crisis.

The Inflation Reduction Act offers strong incentives for clean energy projects to create high-quality and union jobs that pay prevailing wages and use Registered Apprenticeship programs. The new map showcases clean energy projects that may be eligible for enhanced federal tax credits if they meet these requirements.

“This map is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Labor and other federal agencies to help ensure that the Biden-Harris administration’s historic climate investments create good-paying jobs,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “By producing new tools like this one, we are helping to facilitate partnerships between employers and unions that can yield worker-centric practices and valuable training opportunities for this wave of new clean energy jobs.”

The map allows users to sort planned clean energy projects by sector and state and learn more about each project’s location, name, status and size, companies involved and the estimated number of construction jobs supporting the project. Drawn from publicly available data, the map’s information does not indicate eligibility for federal tax incentives and does not constitute federal taxpayer information.

Learn more about the clean energy projects map.

WASHINGTON – In a statement today, Acting Secretary Julie Su joined President Joe Biden in congratulating Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga, Tennessee who voted to unionize on April 19, 2024:

“I want to congratulate the workers at Volkswagen Chattanooga who have exercised their fundamental right to choose to join a union today. As I have said, unions are good for workers – and when workers do well, business does well and our country does well. Every worker should have the free and fair choice to join one, because when workers have a voice, we see increased wages, benefits, security and safety for all workers – union or not. President Biden and I are heartened by this step, and as the most pro-union, pro-worker administration in history, we stand with you.” 

UNIONTOWN, PA – Acting Secretary Julie Su today made the following remarks during an announcement of the department’s issuance of a final rule by its Mine Safety and Health Administration to reduce miners’ exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust:

(As prepared for delivery)

“Thank you so much Dave, for that introduction and for sharing your story today. It’s great to be in Uniontown and I want to thank the United Mine Workers District 2 for hosting us. 

We are all gathered here today thanks to the leadership of the labor unions who represent miners and those working on mine sites — especially UMWA President Roberts, USW President David McCall and IUOE President James Callahan. 

And to President Cecil Roberts and the UMWA, I’m grateful for your ever-present leadership to pave the path to today, taking every opportunity to lift up the stories of miners and the protections they need to prevent occupational illnesses like silicosis and black lung. 

Of course, we are also grateful to the Building Trades for their partnership as well as to have PA AFL-CIO President Angela Ferritto and local CLC President Darrin Kelly here with us today. Your work as union leaders is lifting up and protecting all workers – union and non-union alike. 

Senators Casey and Fetterman have also been excellent partners in this work. Senator Casey especially has been leading this fight on behalf of the Commonwealth for decades. 

And we also have so many advocates from across the mining community — some of whom are here today —including Gary, Lynda, Debbie, Arvin, Billy, John and Sam. 

Today, we’re making it clear that no job should be a death sentence, and every worker has the right to come home healthy and safe at the end of the day. 

The stories that we will hear today from folks like Gary represent just a small fraction of miners who have had their lives upended by silica dust. In Central Appalachia, an estimated one in five long tenured coal miners have black lung disease. That’s one in five who struggle to get through a phone call or play with their grandkids without losing their breath. One in five whose life expectancy is cut down by an average of 12 years. One in five forced to carry this irreversible disease.

And the trends are going in the wrong direction. Doctors are diagnosing and treating more miners with black lung and other respiratory diseases than ever before at younger and younger ages. 

For too long, we accepted this as just the way things are for people who work in mines. They’ve had to work without the same protections from silica dust that people in other industries have, even though we’ve known about the harms of silica dust since Frances Perkins was the Secretary of Labor! 

Not on our watch. 

President Biden put this rule on his regulatory agenda from day one of his administration. This is what it looks like to have the most pro-worker, pro-union President in history. This new rule will reduce exposure to toxic silica dust and reduce entirely preventable diseases. 

I couldn’t be more proud of our team’s work on this rule. I want to call out Chris Williamson and the whole MSHA team for their long nights and truly excellent work. 

Our final rule brings the permissible exposure limit for miners in line with the limit for workers in other industries. It includes safeguards for miners’ health like engineering controls and monitoring to prevent overexposure. The final rule requires metal and nonmetal mine operators to provide periodic health exams at absolutely no cost to the miners or their families — modeled after the longstanding program that is currently available to coal miners. And we are strengthening respiratory protection standards for miners against all airborne hazards — not just silica dust.

Since I came to the Department of Labor, I have asked my team to unleash their full power to protect working people, to use all the tools we have not just to conduct inspections and issue citations but to keep workers truly safe and make sure workers are heard. 

Today, we are doing just that. 

We estimate that this final rule will save more than a thousand lives and prevent severe illness for thousands more. This means more moms and dads, sons and daughters, coming home safe and healthy at the end of every day right here in Uniontown. I know that for the families in this room, especially those who have lost loved ones to illnesses caused by their jobs like silicosis and black lung, this final rule is a long time coming. I am so honored to be here with you all as we take this long overdue step forward. 

This rule — as important and exciting as it is — is just one part of what we are doing to unleash the full power of the Department of Labor to protect miners’ safety and health. So much of our work doesn’t make big news, but it’s what is making a difference in communities across America, like this one. 

First, we have built MSHA back up — hiring 270 new inspectors after the cuts of the last administration — to keep miners healthy and safe. In addition to our regular inspections across the country, we’re conducting monthly impact inspections in higher-risk mines to identify and eliminate hazards that can cost miners their lives. 

We are educating miners and mine operators about how to prevent accidents through proper training and precautionary measures, including our Take Time Save Lives campaign. While any miner death is one too many, this year fatalities are down dramatically, and we continue to double down on what works. 

We are making sure coal and metal and nonmetal miners know and exercise their rights under the Mine Act. 

We created a Miner Safety and Health App so every miner can get real-time information right on their phones. We send out targeted safety and health alerts through the app. 

And just last month, we launched a new Health Resource Locator Tool that makes it easier for miners to access the health care they need. 

This administration is deeply committed to miners, their families, and this community. 

We see you. We hear you. And we have your back — not just today, but every day. 

Thank you.” 

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris administration today announced an initial award of $3.5 million in emergency dislocated worker grant funding to the state of Maryland to support cleanup and recovery activities after a container ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s support pylons on March 26, 2024, causing the bridge to collapse.

Workers whose jobs were impacted, due to no fault of their own, will have access to new training and may have their wages subsidized if they are engaged in post-disaster employment activities. 

“As President Biden has made clear, supporting the people who find themselves suddenly out of work after this disaster is an essential part of recovery efforts,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Through this grant funding, we will prevent further, adverse ripple effects for workers and the surrounding community through training and other resources needed during this difficult time.”

Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration, the National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $25 million allows the Maryland Department of Labor to train and hire workers to aid in temporary cleanup and recovery efforts. The grant will also enable the state to provide those affected by the disaster with training and upskilling to prepare them for career advancement once businesses reopen. 

Maryland estimates that 270,000 direct, indirect, or induced jobs will be affected by collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and reduction of operations at the Port of Baltimore. The incident is expected to affect the city and 23 Maryland counties.

On March 29, 2024, the Small Business Administration issued the declaration of Economic Injury Disaster for the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse, allowing the state to request federal assistance for recovery efforts in Baltimore and the following counties: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico and Worcester. 

National Dislocated Worker Grants are supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 to expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that lead to significant job losses. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the March 2024 Employment Situation report: 

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 303,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8 percent. This report once again demonstrates steady growth and a strong labor market with a three-month average of 276,000 in job gains. The jobless rate has been below 4 percent for the 26th month in a row — the longest stretch in more than 50 years. 

“This is a strong jobs report for workers. Since President Biden took office, more than 15 million jobs have been created, and we’re seeing those gains across industries — from construction which gained 39,000 jobs this month to local education which added 18,000 jobs in March — and recovered to pre-pandemic levels. People across the country are also feeling these gains with average hourly earnings up 4.1 percent over the year. 

“President Biden came into office with a plan to grow our economy from the middle out and the bottom up. Month after month, the jobs reports during the Biden-Harris administration have shown strong progress to realizing that vision—a vision where all of America’s workers can get a good job and find a solid place in the middle class. Our work is far from over, and we will remain focused on creating equitable growth that fuels gains for all of America’s working people.”