WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement after the International Labor Organization today recognized occupational safety and health as a Fundamental Principle and Right at Work:

“The U.S. Department of Labor commends the International Labor Organization for recognizing for the first time the right to a safe and healthy working environment in the framework of the ILO’s Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work at the 2022 International Labor Conference.

“Every day, millions of workers around the world face dangerous or unhealthy working conditions. Across the world, the ILO estimates that more than 2.3 million women and men die each year because of work-related accidents and diseases.

“Some workers are not aware of their rights because their employers fail to provide that information or they did not present it in a language understood by the workers. Others are afraid to speak up because of their immigration status or for fear of losing their jobs, and still others live in places that lack the necessary institutions to protect their rights or that fail to enforce them.

“The ILO’s 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work established an international consensus on the core body of labor rights in four categories: freedom of association and collective bargaining; the elimination of forced or compulsory labor; the effective abolition of child labor; and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

“Today’s approval of an amendment to the 1998 declaration now includes: ‘a safe and healthy working environment.’ Though non-binding, the 1998 declaration is the most widely cited ILO instrument. This recognition will have tremendous benefit for the safety and health of workers everywhere.

“The U.S. Department of Labor will continue to work at home and abroad to ensure that all workers have the right to a safe and healthy working environment.”

Learn more about the department’s international work.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Departments of Labor and State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development today issued “Guidance on Fair Recruitment Practices for Temporary Migrant Workers,” with principles and guidelines on preventing abuse of prospective workers.

The guidance is part of a multi-agency effort to promote best practices by those countries seeking to increase participation in the H-2A program for temporary agricultural workers and the H-2B program for seasonal non-agricultural workers, along with recruiters and employers who rely on these programs.

“This collaborative effort by the Departments of Labor and State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development will help protect prospective workers in the H-2A and H-2B programs from abuse,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “The guidance announced today is intended to increase transparency and regulation of H-2A and H-2B worker recruitment programs and safeguard workers’ fundamental rights.”

As the Biden-Harris administration continues to consider the need for structural reforms to the H-2A and H-2B programs that would mitigate vulnerabilities they may create for workers, this initiative is another key component of the administration’s Collaborative Migration Management Strategy, focused on strengthening cooperative efforts to manage safe, orderly and humane migration in North and Central America.

“Taking meaningful steps to protect workers throughout the recruitment and employment process is crucial as the U.S. expands legal pathways for migration in line with our Collaborative Migration Management Strategy. The State Department supports this comprehensive effort to facilitate equitable access to temporary work opportunities and prioritize the protection of workers’ rights,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. 

“Providing legal pathways for temporary work is a powerful way to address critical labor needs here in the United States while giving seasonal workers a chance to earn money they can use to return to and rebuild their own communities. We’ve worked with the governments of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to recruit temporary workers through safe, ethical, fair and transparent means, and today’s guidance is an important step in expanding efforts to prevent abuse and protect fundamental worker rights,” said U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Samantha Power.

Based on the International Labor Organization’s “Guiding Principles and Operational Guidelines for Fair Recruitment” and the department’s current regulations, the Fair Recruitment Guidance encourages countries and employers participating in H-2A and H-2B visa programs to implement best practices.  It addresses key issues related to:

• The design, implementation and regulation of recruitment infrastructure and processes.
• Protecting fundamental worker rights.
• Ensuring transparency and access to redress for workers and job applicants.

The guidance also describes measures that retailers and other supply chain actors can take to help prevent, mitigate and remedy abuses in supply chains.

Learn more about the H-2A and H-2B visa program regulations here.

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai today announced that the United States has asked Mexico to review whether workers at the Teksid Hierro de México facility in Frontera, State of Coahuila, are being denied the rights of free association and collective bargaining.

The request, which was made in response to a petition filed under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act, marks the fourth time that the U.S. has requested Mexico’s review of freedom of association and collective bargaining rights issues under the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism.

“The U.S. Department of Labor will continue working with our trade partners and the private sector to secure freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, which are foundations of our worker-centered trade agenda,” said Secretary Marty Walsh. “As we have done with other Rapid Response Labor Mechanism cases, we look forward to collaborating with the government of Mexico to ensure that workers can choose their union representatives freely and without interference.”

USMCA’s Labor Chapter contains a bilateral annex that requires Mexico to have specific laws necessary for the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining. The annex mirrors key provisions of Mexico’s historic 2019 labor law reform. The first-of-its-kind Rapid Response Labor Mechanism provides for expedited enforcement of collective bargaining and free association rights at the facility level.

“We continue to use the USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism to defend workers’ rights and remain committed to working closely with the Mexican government to do so,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai. “When our trade policy helps to ensure that workers in all countries can exercise their rights, it helps drive a race to the top.”

In connection with the U.S. request, Ambassador Tai has directed the Secretary of the Treasury to suspend the liquidation for all unliquidated entries of goods from the Teksid Hierro facility. 

The U.S. Trade Representative and the Secretary of Labor co-chair the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement. On May 5, 2022, the ILC received a RRM petition from the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, and Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores Mineros, Metalúrgicos, Siderúgicos y Similares de la República Mexicana, a Mexican union. The petition alleged that workers at the Teksid Hierro automotive parts facility in Frontera are being denied the right of free association and collective bargaining.  The ILC reviews RRM petitions that it receives, and the accompanying information, within 30 days.

In response to the petition, the ILC determined that there is sufficient credible evidence of a denial of rights enabling the good faith invocation of enforcement mechanisms. As a result, the U.S. Trade Representative has submitted a request to Mexico that it review whether workers at the Teksid Hierro facility are being denied the right of free association and collective bargaining. Mexico has 10 days to agree to conduct a review and, if it agrees, 45 days from today to complete the review. 

Last month, the U.S. submitted a request for review to Mexico on a Panasonic automotive parts facility. Learn more about the request on the Panasonic facility.

Read the request for review of the allegations at the Teksid facility.

Read the USTR’s communication to the Department of the Treasury to suspend the liquidation for all unliquidated entries of goods from the Teksid Hierro facility. 

Learn more about the department’s international work.

Learn more about the work of USTR’s Labor Office.

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

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 390,000 jobs in the month of May, and the unemployment rate was 3.6 percent, unchanged from April and March. With an average of 408,000 jobs created each month over the last three months, and a sustained low unemployment rate, the historic economic recovery under this administration has begun to transition into steady, stable growth that continues to provide widespread opportunity to America’s workers.

“We remain focused on empowering all workers to seize these opportunities in a growing economy by working to improve job quality and job access all across the country. At the Department of Labor, through the Good Jobs Initiative we are ensuring that investments under the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law create good, union and middle-class jobs with access for all. As the Administration continues to act to lower prices and achieve historic reductions in the federal deficit, we are investing in job training and apprenticeship programs that both increase wages for working families and strengthen our supply chains. Congress has the opportunity to further this progress by investing in domestic manufacturing through the Bipartisan Innovation Act and advancing the President’s plans to lower healthcare and energy costs for working families.

“Equity in our economy remains a top priority. While the unemployment rate held steady for most groups, the rate for Black workers remains nearly double that of white workers and ticked upward in May as more Black women reentered the labor force and looked for jobs. We continue to implement the Department’s Equity Action Plan, in partnership with agencies across the government and in line with the President’s Executive Order Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, to ensure that everything we do removes the barriers facing those who have been underserved by our economy in the past.”

WASHINGTON – In response to a vote by workers on May 25-26, 2022, at a General Motors’ facility in Silao, Mexico, to approve a recently negotiated collective bargaining agreement, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh issued the following statement:

“This vote marks an important milestone in the realization of labor rights in Mexico. It shows what labor protections in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and Mexico’s labor reform can mean for workers. Just a year ago, some 6,000 hard-working men and women who produce General Motors’ vehicles in Silao had no real voice at work. Now, these same workers have elected their union leaders and voted to approve a new agreement drafted and negotiated by their peers. This agreement improves real wages and gives workers a process to regularly review their workload and scheduling to ensure workplace safety and health protections, as well as protections from gender-based discrimination and harassment. We look forward to continuing our strong cooperation with the Mexican Labor Ministry to raise the floor for workers across our two countries.

“This vote comes after workers in Silao rejected a previous collective bargaining agreement in August 2021 and chose a new union in February 2022 to represent them in collective bargaining negotiations. The August vote occurred pursuant to a detailed course of remediation negotiated by the U.S. and Mexico.” 

Learn more about the department’s international work.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $57 million in grants to organizations that help veterans experiencing homelessness find meaningful employment and assist them in overcoming barriers to transition back successfully into the workforce.

Ending homelessness among veterans is a priority for the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which is chaired by U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge and vice-chaired by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough. Upholding our sacred obligation to our veterans is also a key part of the Unity Agenda President Biden laid out in his State of the Union address.

“The pandemic further exposed the difficulties faced by our nation’s homeless veterans,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “The Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program grants announced today will fund initiatives that help our veterans – particularly those in underserved communities – get the training and support they need return to the workforce and use their skills to make valuable contributions to our society.”

Administered by the department’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, HVRP funding will support 112 continuation grants totaling more than $37 million, and fund 56 new three-year grants totaling more than $20 million. These awards will enable recipients to provide a wide range of services to homeless veterans and those at risk of homelessness.

The HVRP awards grants on a competitive basis to state and local workforce investment boards, local public agencies and nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, and faith-based and community organizations.

Through the services provided, veterans experiencing homelessness may learn occupational skills, attain apprenticeships or on-the-job training opportunities, and receive job search and placement assistance.

Learn more about VETS’ Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Programs.

A list of HVRP grant recipients follows this release.

The recipients of continuing grants for Program Year 2022 are as follows:

 *No additional funding requested in PY22.

The recipients of new, three-year grants are as follows:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh visited George Washington University’s Hospital and Behavior Health Department on May 17, 2022, to meet with students, faculty and hospital residents to discuss ways to strengthen professional pathways to mental health care and to hear about workers’ experience with behavioral health service delivery and staff support amid the pandemic. 

The visit highlighted the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to strengthening pipelines and supporting and diversifying professionals in the mental and behavioral health field, as the nation marks Mental Health Awareness Month. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports about 41,000 openings for substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors are projected each year, on average, through 2030.

The 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that – among the 52.9 million adults with any mental illness – 16.1 million people perceived an unmet need for mental health services.

“In his State of the Union, President Biden outlined a unity agenda in which he announced a national mental health strategy to connect more Americans to care. For this initiative to be successful, our mental health care workers must be supported, and we must have a strong pipeline of diverse professionals coming in the industry,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Without investing in this vital workforce, we will be unable to meet the acute demand for mental health services, which the pandemic has increased significantly.”

On May 4, 2022, Secretary Walsh and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra met with health insurance and business leaders on to discuss compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, adequacy of in-network providers and mental health and substance use disorder treatment during the pandemic.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh joined business leaders for panel discussion today on how private-sector employers can recruit, retain and strengthen their workforce through investments in job quality.

The “Good Jobs Initiative: The Business Case for Good Jobs” discussion focused on how businesses that create and sustain good jobs can better compete for talent by providing criticalbenefits ranging from caregiving support and flexibility to higher wages and job training.

“Across the board, many workers are looking for opportunities to learn new skills and start new careers, and we are seeing the greatest movement in industries with the lowest wages and workers who are disproportionately women, people of color and immigrants. We need to look at how more of those jobs can become careers, and make sure everyone has a pathway to the middle class,” said Secretary Walsh. “We want to identify solutions we can share, that move workers and businesses forward together. That’s what the Good Jobs Initiative is all about. It’s a collaborative effort to improve job quality – and job equity – across our economy.”

The panel was moderated by Carolyn Pincus, vice president of Strategy and Development at the American Sustainable Business Network. Members of the panel included BA Auto Care General Manager Sandi Weaver, Eileen Fisher Inc. General Counsel Elizabeth Richman, UPS Inc. President, Central Plains District, Darren Jones and Sustainergy Cooperative CEO Flequer Vera.

The panel discussion builds on the department’s Good Jobs Initiative, a coordinated effort by the Biden-Harris administration to improve job quality nationwide.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today renewed partnerships with the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to strengthen collaboration with their U.S. embassies and consulates, and to provide information about laws governing workplace safety and health, wages and work hours, and other employment issues individuals from these countries face while working in the U.S.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor Julie Su joined El Salvadorean Ambassador Milena Mayorga, Guatemalan Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez and Honduran Chargé d’Affaires Javier Bú at a signing ceremony at the Frances Perkins Building in Washington, the department’s headquarters. They signed letters of arrangement with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Wage and Hour Division. They also signed partnerships with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.

“Our joint commitments with the governments of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras ensure that people from these countries working here in the U.S. are aware of the protections our nation’s labor laws provide, including the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and the right to be paid for all their hard-earned wages,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary Labor Julie Su. “They should also know that they have the ability to exercise their labor rights freely and participate in our country’s strong economy.”

Partnerships like these help the department enforce U.S. labor laws more effectively, especially in high-risk and low-wage industries where violations are more likely to occur. They also help the department’s enforcement agencies identify problems workers face to improve and target their outreach efforts.

“Hispanic communities contribute to the economies of both America and their countries of origin,” said the El Salvadorean Ambassador Milena Mayorga. “That is why it is important to use a variety of resources to educate workers and employers about enforceable labor rights.”

“The government of Guatemala looks forward to its partnership with the Department of Labor on ensuring that Guatemalan migrants in the U.S. work in a safe and healthy environment, are aware of their rights and those are respected while in the U.S.,” said Guatemalan Ambassador Alfonso Quiñónez. “We hope that through these partnerships we can work together to foster positive and meaningful relationships between workers and employers, and continue building bridges between our peoples to create more prosperity for our countries.”

“The partnership we are renewing today is a clear example of goodwill, joint commitment, and efficiency in design of protection mechanisms in favor of the working sector of the migrant population in the United States,” said Honduran Chargé d’Affaires Javier Bú. “The agreements that we sign today make this association operational and have a clear focus on articulating efforts and aligning resources to promote respect for the rights of Honduran workers in this great country; it is the right and just thing to do, and it means a well-deserved recognition of the effort and sacrifice of our fellow migrants.”

Learn more about the department’s international work.

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WASHINGTON – As the nation observes National Nurses Week, U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh met with a group of nursing professionals from around the nation on May 6, 2022, and discussed their bedside experiences with patients during the pandemic, healthcare industry staffing challenges and the importance of quality jobs in retaining and recruiting workers.

Secretary Walsh and department leaders were joined by representatives of the American Federation of Teachers, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, National Nurses United, and the Service Employees Industrial Union. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also took part.

“Staffing challenges existed before the pandemic, but the hardships the nation’s nursing professionals overcame for more than two years are unprecedented,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “Day in, day out, these people put their patients and their communities first, and sometimes at great personal risk. The Department of Labor is committed to shoring up this workforce at both ends – by attracting more workers to fill the pipeline of new nurses and promoting job quality to keep nurses at work.”

In their conversations with the Secretary and leaders from both agencies, the nurses shared moving perspectives on the challenges of caring for COVID-19 patients, ranging from working despite shortages of personal protective equipment at the height of the pandemic to facing seemingly endless hours of overtime. The nurses also described trends in long-term staffing patterns in the healthcare industry that have contributed to today’s staffing challenges. Other areas they discussed commonly include:

• The need for adequate staffing and real-time off, both for nurses and patients’ safety.
• The importance of safety and health protocols to protect healthcare workers.
• Bottlenecks in training nurses slowing the pipeline.
• The power of unions and how workers can be partners in addressing each of these challenges.

Also on hand for the event were representatives of the department’s Employment and Training Administration, Women’s Bureau, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and Wage and Hour Division. From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, leaders from the Health Resources and Services Administration, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services attended.