WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement on Labor Day 2022:

“On Labor Day we honor the achievements of America’s workers, and in 2022 we have a historic victory to celebrate. Our nation’s working people have come all the way back from the depths of a global pandemic, regaining every job lost and more.

“This milestone seemed impossible to reach on Labor Day two years ago. The pandemic was out of control. Millions of Americans were out of work, and economic forecasters said unemployment could remain elevated for years to come.

“Since President Biden took office, we’ve added 9.7 million jobs to the economy. The unemployment rate has dropped to 3.7 percent. This job growth has been broad and widely shared.

“The energy and the vision that inspires me this Labor Day comes directly from the working people who have pushed and scraped and muscled us back on course. The American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act – all historic milestones that will continue to transform work in our nation – show that we are working to sustain this momentum for the generations that follow.

“There were those who said America’s workers didn’t want to go back to work, but Labor Day is a reminder of how warped and defeatist that view of our nation is and always has been. We’ve shown how much we can overcome and how much we can achieve together.

“I wish everyone a joyous Labor Day, and I look forward to the work to come.”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement on the August 2022 Employment Situation Report:

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 315,000 jobs in the month of August, and the unemployment rate rose to 3.7 percent as more people entered the labor market looking for work. With 9.7 million jobs added since President Biden took office and an average of 378,000 per month over the past three months, the economy continues to transition from a historically powerful recovery into steady and stable progress that benefits working families.

Job growth in August was broad-based, with significant gains in professional and business services, retail trade, wholesale trade and manufacturing. Health care jobs also saw strong growth, including in the nursing and residential care sector hit hard by the pandemic. And in a welcome milestone, two key measures of access to opportunity – the labor force participation rate and the employment-population ratio – for the first time surpassed their February 2020 pre-pandemic levels for women aged 25-54.

As we head into Labor Day weekend, America’s workers and their families have reasons to celebrate. All the jobs lost in the pandemic and more have been recovered. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law already has invested over $100 billion in projects that create good jobs and strengthen communities. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, we are on course to lower costs for families and achieve a clean energy transition by creating more middle-class jobs. At the Department of Labor, through our Good Jobs Initiative we are focused on improving wages, benefits and career opportunities all across the economy, with an emphasis on workers who have been shut out of past recoveries. Our workforce has faced historic disruptions and the nature of work continues to change. But America remains a country filled with hard workers. That’s evident in our continuing strong job growth, and it’s why we are committed to delivering on the promise of good jobs and providing the tools and resources all workers need to succeed.”

WASHINGTON – Dr. Jill Biden welcomed U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to the White House today to mark a milestone in the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative, where members of the initial cohort of Apprenticeship Ambassadors discussed steps being taken to expand apprenticeship programs throughout the nation and promote the benefits of Registered Apprenticeships in numerous industries.

The initiative is an effort to modernize, strengthen, diversify and accelerate the use of Registered Apprenticeships to advance career pathways and equity in the nation’s economic recovery.

“By partnering with employers and industry stakeholders, the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative has produced commitments to create nearly 500 new Registered Apprenticeships programs,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “These results will increase our skilled workforce  – including people in underrepresented communities, especially women, people of color, veterans and people with disabilities – equipping them with good-paying, high-quality jobs and a pathway to the middle class.”

In July 2022, the department announced the selection of the first group of 207 officials and organizations as Apprenticeship Ambassadors. They were chosen to expand the nation’s use of Registered Apprenticeships through partnerships with employers, labor organizations, industry associations, educators, community-based organizations and other stakeholders. 

The Apprenticeship Ambassadors have existing Registered Apprenticeship programs in over 40 in-demand industries and have committed to expand and diversify these programs over the next year by collectively: developing 460 new Registered Apprenticeship programs across their 40 industries, hiring over 10,000 new apprentices, and holding 5,000 outreach, promotional and training events to help other business, labor and education leaders launch similar programs.

Registered Apprenticeships provide a time-honored and proven “earn-as-you-learn” model to train workers for good paying, high-quality jobs across industries.

The department recently marked the 85th anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act, and has announced that National Apprenticeship Week will be held Nov. 14-20, 2022.

Learn more about the Apprenticeship Ambassador Initiative.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today inducted the essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic into the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor in recognition of their sacrifices and continuous efforts to support America’s communities through the pandemic.

Essential workers, including teachers, grocery workers and transportation workers who sustained our economy since 2020 attended the event and spoke about how becoming an essential worker during the pandemic affected their lives and the lives of their families. These workers and their families represent a small part of a much larger group of essential workers now commemorated in the department’s Hall of Honor.

“The Hall of Honor is about people who changed history, and that’s exactly what the essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic did for our country,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Today, we remember the essential workers who passed away during the pandemic and honor the ongoing labor of all essential workers. I am so grateful for the chance to thank some of them in person during our Hall of Honor induction ceremony, and in my travels around the country.”

“These are the workers who put their heart and soul into helping their communities during the worst days of the pandemic – and whom we continue to depend on every day,” said Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su. “As we honor these essential workers, we also have a new understanding and appreciation of how our economy and society depends on the tremendous hard work, commitment, creativity, resilience and sacrifices of workers every single day.”

Watch a video honoring the essential workers of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Labor Department’s Hall of Honor was established in 1988 to honor those whose distinctive contributions in the field of labor have elevated working conditions, wages and overall quality of life of America's working families. It is the highest honor bestowed by the department.

Read more from Secretary Walsh on how the department is celebrating the strength of America’s workforce this Labor Day.

Learn more about Labor Day.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor kicked off Labor Rights Week 2022 today with the first in a series of nationwide events at the Consular Section of the Mexican Embassy in Washington. Department representatives met with Ambassador Esteban Moctezuma, Rafael Laveaga, Chief of Consular Section of the Embassy of Mexico, Vanessa Calva, General Director for Consular Protections and Strategic Planning, Jessica Mendoza, Consul General of Guatemala, Lorena Mojica, Vice Consul of El Salvador and Allan Agurcia, Consul from the Consular Section of the Embassy of Honduras.

The meeting marks the start of outreach events throughout the country, sponsored by many U.S. government agencies and U.S. consulates of Mexico and several Central and Latin American countries to raise awareness and inform employers and workers of federal responsibilities and protections. Begun in 2009, Labor Rights Week has grown to include hundreds of local events.

The department’s contingent was led by Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker, Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator Jessica Looman and Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Thea Lee. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission and National Labor Relations Board representatives also participated.

“Labor Rights Week is a time to recommit to our promise of protecting the rights of low-wage and vulnerable workers,” said Wage and Hour Division Principal Deputy Administrator Jessica Looman. “Joining with leaders representing native countries of many of these workers, the U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring employers understand legal responsibilities and that workers know they have protections under to the law to secure their wages, safety and well-being, and to prevent workplace discrimination and harassment.”

“We are working to make sure that all workers, regardless of their citizenship status, the color of their skin, or the language they speak, fully enjoy the right to a safe and healthy workplace,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “We are committed to embedding equity in our policies and programs so that all workers know their rights and get the protections they deserve.”

“We want to ensure that every person who comes to the United States seeking work has access to good, safe jobs that pay a decent wage and that they do not face any kind of discrimination or harassment – regardless of their immigration status. This is especially important in essential sectors such as agriculture, where many migrant workers pick, process and put food on our table. This means protecting their rights as workers from the time they are recruited in their home country through their time on the job in the U.S. and their return home,” said Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Thea Lee. “And, in keeping with our labor commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, we know that protecting migrant Mexican workers in the U.S. will improve working conditions for all workers, including U.S.-born workers.”

From Aug. 29-Sept. 2, Labor Rights Week events will focus on issues such as wage theft, workplace safety, women’s workplace rights, protections for workers employed under the H-2A and H-2B programs, disability protections and human trafficking.

WASHINGTON – To support the Biden-Harris administration’s progress in advancing environmental justice, the U.S. Department of Labor has added programs to the Justice40 initiative. The Justice40 initiative aims to deliver 40 percent of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, training and workforce development, and other federal investments to disadvantaged communities.

In January 2021, President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad directed all federal departments to review programs for inclusion in the Justice40 initiative as part of a whole-of-government initiative to advance environmental justice.

The department added the following existing programs to the Justice40 initiative, all of which are administered by its Employment and Training Administration:

• Reentry Employment Opportunities program
• YouthBuild program
• Job Corps
• Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities program.

“Achieving broad-based economic equity, environmental justice, and good jobs for all is an opportunity that we are privileged to have, and proud to take action on,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “The programs selected for this groundbreaking effort are proven sustainable pathways for communities facing environmental injustices. Their impact will be strengthened by their inclusion in President Biden’s coordinated, whole-of-government Justice40 initiative.” 

In total, hundreds of federal programs, representing billions of dollars in annual investments across the federal government, are being reimagined and transformed to maximize benefits to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized, underserved and overburdened by pollution.

Learn more about the Justice40 initiative.

Learn more about department’s environmental justice efforts.

WASHINGTON – Representing the U.S. government, the Department of Labor and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative applauded efforts by the government of Mexico to resolve a Rapid Response Mechanism petition concerning workers’ rights at the Teksid Hierro de México automotive parts manufacturing facility in  Coahuila, Mexico.

On June 6, 2022, Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai made it known that the U.S. had asked Mexico to review denial of worker’s rights of free association and collective bargaining at the facility.

A review of the allegations led the Mexican government to acknowledge the denial of rights and to facilitate an agreement between Los Mineros, an independent labor union, and Teksid, that addresses the claims in the petition. As a result, the company now recognizes the independent union as the workers’ sole bargaining representative, will repay dues owed to Los Mineros for multiple years and has reinstated – with full back pay – 36 workers terminated reportedly for participating in union activity and a peaceful protest at the facility.

“The labor and trade policies of the Biden-Harris administration continue to make workers’ interests a priority, and the outcome at the Teksid auto parts plant shows the benefits of these policies,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “The measures taken after invoking the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement Rapid Response Mechanism will help end eight years of rights violations against Teksid workers and advance their freedom of association and ability to collectively bargain.”

“We appreciate our collaboration with Mexico’s Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare in the successful closure of the Rapid Response Mechanism petition and will continue to monitor the situation with our Mexican counterparts,” Secretary Walsh added.

During investigation of the allegations, attachés from the department’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs visited Frontera to interview stakeholders, conduct worker testimony and collect evidence that helped lead to the successful resolution. The Teksid Hierro facility develops, industrializes and manufactures cylinder heads and cylinder blocks for industrial vehicles, including Cummins, Volvo and Mack trucks.

“This resolution is yet another example of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to defending the rights of workers. This successful outcome demonstrates that we are creating a more competitive North American economy where workers and unions can operate on a level playing field,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai. “The actions announced today reflect the shared intent of the United States and Mexico to ensure that trade benefits workers on both sides of the border. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Government of Mexico to defend the rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.”

Filed under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the Teksid petition marks the fourth time the U.S. government has successfully used the mechanism to benefit workers.

Learn more about the department’s international work.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su today met with Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi and other workforce leaders and stakeholders to discuss how the department can align systems, strengthen partnerships and leverage resources to connect workers to good jobs in critical in-demand industries.

Deputy Secretary Su’s visit is the latest demonstration of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to support Puerto Rico’s long-term recovery and renewal.

“The U.S. Department of Labor’s investments in training and collaborative initiatives with public and private employers and labor will help Puerto Rico connect trained workers with the employers who need them,” said Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Workers in Puerto Rico deserve equitable access to good jobs and this visit builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to deliver on the vision of creating jobs where workers are paid wages that allow them to support their families and where they feel safe, secure and empowered.”

Deputy Secretary Su discussed the administration and the department’s prioritization of improving federal, state and local workforce partnerships to create opportunities for workers in Puerto Rico, while meeting the needs of employers. During her meeting with the governor, the Deputy Secretary also emphasized the need for cross-agency collaboration – among federal agencies as well as between Puerto Rico’s governmental agencies – for an all of government approach to deliver on the good jobs vision.

In addition to the meeting with Gov. Pierluisi, Deputy Secretary Su also visited Luma College to learn how they have leveraged labor management partnerships and developed registered apprenticeships to build talent pipelines for people on the island. The Deputy Secretary also met with workforce training providers to discuss implementation of successful workforce strategies at the local level.  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government today requested the Mexican government review whether the rights of free association and collective bargaining have been denied to workers at the VU Manufacturing parts facility in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. 

The Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement – co-chaired by the Department of Labor and the U.S. Trade Representative – recommended the request, citing a USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism petition received on June 21, 2022, from a Mexican labor union and a worker advocacy group. The petition – filed by Liga Sindical Obrera Mexicana and the Comité Fronterizo de Obreras – alleges VU Manufacturing interfered with the workers’ ability to choose their union, a violation of their rights to associate and collectively bargain.

“In keeping with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the U.S. Department of Labor seeks to level the playing field for workers and businesses on both sides of the border and to promote growth and stability in the region,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “We recognize the ongoing efforts of the Mexican government to work with us to resolve concerns and to ensure workers may choose their union freely and collectively bargain.”

After its review of the allegations, the Interagency Labor Committee found sufficient and credible evidence that workers’ rights were denied at VU Manufacturing, which enabled the good faith invocation of the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. The Mexican government has 10 days to determine whether to conduct a review and 45 days to investigate the claims and present its findings.  

VU Manufacturing is an automotive soft trim supplier based in Troy, Michigan, with manufacturing and support facilities in the U.S. and Mexico.

The USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism allows the U.S. to take enforcement action based on the labor situation at an individual factory in Mexico if that facility fails to comply with domestic freedom of association and collective bargaining laws. The Piedras Negras petition is the fifth request filed under the mechanism.

Learn more about the department’s international work.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Spain’s Second Vice President and Minister of Labor and Social Economy Yolanda Díaz Pérez met in Washington on July 20, 2022, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that reasserts both countries’ commitment to addressing a wide range of concerns affecting workers and underserved populations. 

“The Memorandum of Understanding between the labor departments in the U.S. and Spain signifies our shared commitment to giving workers a stronger voice, protecting workers’ rights, ensuring equity for vulnerable populations, and addressing climate change and the increased risks of heat illness,” explained Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “This partnership is testament to the strength of our relationship and an indication that our joint efforts to protect working people in both countries is paramount.”

Learn more about the department’s international work.