WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the December 2024 Employment Situation report:

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 256,000 jobs in December, well above market expectations and reflecting a robust and resilient labor market. With unemployment ticking down to 4.1 percent and the three-month average of payroll employment gains at 170,000, this report underscores the strength of our economy as we close out 2024. 

“December was a particularly strong month for sectors like private healthcare, retail and government, while construction growth over the past year has been driven by non-residential projects. This is also the first economic recovery since the 1970’s in which manufacturing jobs have fully recovered - a testament to the investments and leadership of this administration. 

“The labor force participation rate held steady at 62.5 percent, and wages continue to grow across industries and occupations, putting more money in the pockets of American workers. The Biden-Harris administration did exactly what it said it would do: recover from the pandemic stronger than ever. The United States is the envy of the world, the only nation that has truly bounced back from the challenges of the pandemic. With pride, we hand the next administration an economy and a labor market that are strong and resilient, with opportunities for workers at their core.”

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the tentative agreement reached between the International Longshoremen's Association and the United States Maritime Alliance.

“Congratulations to the International Longshoremen’s Association and U.S. Maritime Alliance on reaching a tentative agreement that will give workers security and ensure continued prosperity for America’s shipping industry. This administration has stood strong with workers every day and been unwavering in its view that when workers have a say and unions are strong, everybody wins – and contracts like this are proof. The parties sat together, tackled difficult issues, and in doing so have protected workers’ progress and ensured continued benefits for years to come.”

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su today honored President Joe Biden by announcing his induction to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor. 

During an event establishing former Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins’ homestead as a national monument, Acting Secretary Su lauded the nation’s leader for his tireless support of U.S. workers and labor unions before bestowing the department’s high honor on the President. 

In more than 50 years of public service, President Biden has remained devoted to improving the lives of America’s workers, retirees and their families by championing pro-union policies that strengthen the middle class and build an economy from the middle out and the bottom up. Under his leadership, more than 16 million jobs have been created in America, threatened pensions have been secured for more than 1.2 million workers and retirees and the number of workers seeking to join a union has doubled.

“History will record Joe Biden as the most pro-worker, pro-union President this nation has had,” said Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su. “Leadership matters. And President Biden demonstrated his commitment to working people daily by taking bold actions and daring to fight the big fights. In the last four years, that has meant fighting to increase overtime pay, pushing for a national heat standard, protecting retirees’ pensions and putting more than $1 billion in wages and damages into workers’ pockets, to name a few. But no example says more about who President Biden is than the day he walked the picket line with striking autoworkers, becoming the first sitting president ever to do so. No one believes in worker power more than this President, which is why I am honored and delighted to honor his work within the walls of the Frances Perkins Building, adding his name to the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor.”

President Biden joins Frances Perkins and others in the Hall of Honor, which recognizes individuals and groups whose distinctive contributions in the field of labor have improved working conditions, wages and overall quality of life of working families in the U.S. Established in 1988, the Hall of Honor is located in the north plaza of the Department of Labor’s national headquarters in the Frances Perkins Building at 200 Constitution Ave. NW in Washington.

WASHINGTON – President Biden, alongside Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su and Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, today announced the designation of the Frances Perkins National Monument in Newcastle, Maine, at the homestead of former Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. Secretary Perkins was the first woman cabinet secretary and the longest serving Secretary of Labor.

Acting Secretary Su has issued the following statement:

“Honoring Frances Perkins with a national monument does more than acknowledge her work to establish Social Security, unemployment insurance, minimum wage and overtime pay, it is a challenge for us,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “We must all remember that the gains we enjoy today were not gifts, they were hard-fought victories because Frances Perkins dared to believe that workers should thrive and not just survive.”

The nation’s fourth Labor Secretary, Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet and a lifelong champion for American workers. She was the central architect of the New Deal, a series of domestic programs, public work projects and financial reforms and regulations enacted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to address the Great Depression. Perkins’ efforts helped bring millions of Americans out of poverty and provided them with social service benefits. Hers is a legacy of lifelong labor advocacy and social reform. 

The Frances Perkins National Monument is her family homestead in Newcastle, Maine, owned continuously by the family for 270 years. The new National Monument will be managed by the National Park Service. 

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the November 2024 Employment Situation report:

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 227,000 jobs in November, confirming what we know to be true: that this is a strong, stable economy and workers are benefiting. After accounting for 56,000 upward revisions to September and October data, the three-month average of payroll employment gains stands at 173,000, indicating a healthy labor market with low unemployment, delivering opportunities for millions of workers.

“Wage growth continues to outpace inflation, with nominal wages increasing by 0.4 percent in November and annual growth of 4.0 percent over the past 12 months. This means that most working Americans have more money in their pockets, across industries and occupations. And the unemployment rate remains at the lowest range we have seen in 50 years. 

“As the Biden-Harris administration prepares to hand off one of the strongest economies in history to the next administration, we do so having created millions of good-paying jobs, strengthened the middle class and ensured broad-based growth following a pandemic that threated to endanger the United States’ position as the strongest economy in the world. This recovery was not promised, but rather it was delivered with strong leadership and investment in working people.”

WASHINGTON – Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su and the U.S. Department of Labor today paid tribute to Larry Dulay Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Peter Gines Velasco, who led farmworkers to organize and stand up against powerful grape industry growers while fighting for higher wages, better working conditions and basic dignity for Filipino farmworkers by inducting them into the department’s Hall of Honor.

The three labor leaders of the farmworkers’ movement were recognized for their lifetimes of service to Filipino farmworkers, starting in 1959 with the organization of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee at the Filipino Hall in Delano, California. In 1965, the AWOC led the Delano Grape Strike, where more than 800 Filipino farmworkers in the grape fields went on strike against 10 vineyards. In addition to the victories they achieved for farmworkers, their work is a reminder of what can be achieved when workers of all backgrounds come together to advocate for higher wages and better working conditions. 

“I’m honored to induct Larry Dulay Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Peter Gines Velasco into the Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor, where they take their rightful place among giants in the labor movement who have shaped the fabric of American history,” said Acting Secretary Julie Su. “Itliong, Vera Cruz and Velasco rallied farmworkers – who endured prejudice, low wages and poor working conditions – to courageously organize for fairer wages and humane treatment, all while providing food for families across the country. These three leaders instilled and inspired change for those who valiantly labor in the fields.”

During the ceremony, the audience heard a musical performance from the cast of “Larry the Musical” based on the book “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong” by Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta. Later in the ceremony, Acting Secretary Su presented medals commemorating the ceremony to family members of Itliong, Vera Cruz and Velasco. 

Established in 1988, the Hall of Honor recognizes the accomplishments and impact of dozens of groups and individuals on the nation’s workforce and workplaces. The hall is located inside the north plaza of the department’s headquarters in the Frances Perkins Building. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today published a guide designed to educate employers about the benefits of using skills-first hiring practices and encourage them to use those practices to build a better, more qualified workforce.

The Good Jobs Initiative’s Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit was announced at the White House’s “Classroom to Career” Summit, where President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed nearly 300 education and workforce leaders to announce new actions on workforce, career and technical education, and highlight key achievements of the Biden-Harris administration. The Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit, developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Commerce, is a short guide to hiring, promotion and management built around worker skills, rather than relying on degree qualifications. 

“Skills-first hiring practices can be a way of helping workers get ahead through good jobs,” Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su said. “Our Starter Kit provides the blueprint for employers to take concrete steps to begin skills-first hiring and provide economic opportunity for workers who face barriers – not because they are not highly skilled – but because of where they attained those skills.”

Skills-first hiring – also known as “skills-based hiring” – refers to the hiring or promotion of workers around skills, knowledge and abilities that workers can demonstrate they have, regardless of how or where they attained those skills. The department’s Good Jobs Principles promote skills-based hiring as a quality recruitment practice. 

While many employers have removed four-year degree requirements for salaried jobs, employers still struggle to successfully implement skills-first hiring strategies after ending those requirements. The Starter Kit aims to give private employers more information on skills-based hiring so that they can successfully implement these practices in the workplace. 

The department developed the Skills-First Hiring Starter Kit in consultation with the U.S. Department of Commerce, 16 leading organizations in the public and private sectors, as well as labor, to provide employers with the best possible resource. 

Learn more about the Skills-First Starter Kit.

Learn more about the Good Jobs Initiative.

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on International Association of Machinists members voting to approve a new contract proposal from the Boeing Company.

“President Biden and I congratulate the 33,000 machinists at the Boeing Company on their historic new collective bargaining agreement. This agreement, with its record wage increases, retirement improvements, guaranteed productivity bonuses, and commitments by the company to keep production in Puget Sound, demonstrates what is possible when workers have a real voice on the job. 

“When I asked the parties to come back to the table, I got to see first-hand the leadership of IAM District 751 President Jon Holden, District W-24 President Brandon Bryant, and the bargaining committee, as well as the importance of the direct engagement of Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg. This agreement proves yet again that collective bargaining works. It is one of many historic wins for working people that are reshaping and strengthening American industries. With this new agreement ratified, Boeing and its machinists can now move forward to build and strengthen their partnership, which will be critical to Boeing’s success.”

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement on the October 2024 Employment Situation report: 

“Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the American economy added 12,000 jobs in October, a month marked by significant impacts from hurricanes and strike activity. Despite these temporary disruptions, our economy continues to be strong. President Biden is the first president since data has been collected who has seen job growth every single month of their presidency. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent, labor force participation remains high, and inflation continues to decrease. This jobs report reflects an atypical month rather than a shift in the broader economic outlook. 

“Strike activity, specifically, reduced employment growth by 41,000, temporarily impacting payrolls in industries like transportation equipment manufacturing. Yet, these events do not signal economic weakness. Instead, striking workers reflect a robust economy where workers have the power to demand better wages and working conditions. 

"After accounting for revisions, our three-month average for employment gains through September stands at 148,000. This stability, coupled with strong 0.4 percent monthly wage growth in October, a three-month annual wage growth pace of 4.5 percent, and a 2.8 percent annual GDP growth rate in the third quarter, demonstrates the resilience of the American economy. Inflation continues to decrease, while consumer spending grew at an impressive 3.7 percent rate in the third quarter, underscoring a sustainable path forward. 

“The Biden-Harris administration remains steadfast in its commitment to building a strong economy that benefits all working Americans. Our outlook remains strong, and we are dedicated to ensuring that every worker has the opportunity to thrive in a stable and growing economy.” 

WASHINGTON – Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su hosted an unveiling of the U.S. Department of Labor’s AI Best Practices, a comprehensive roadmap designed to ensure artificial intelligence enhances job quality and safeguards workers’ rights and well-being. 

The online event, which took place on Oct. 16, 2024, brought together labor, business, non-profit and government leaders to focus on the critical importance of ethical use of AI as its impact continues to grow in workplaces throughout the nation. President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence emphasizes that the responsible development and use of AI require a commitment to supporting America’s workers. The AI Best Practices are an important step towards promoting worker well-being when AI is used in the workplace. 

Acting Secretary Su emphasized how artificial intelligence will transform jobs and the workplace. Underscoring the department’s mission to ensure responsible AI use, the Acting Secretary said: “We have a shared responsibility to ensure that AI is used to expand equality, advance equity, develop opportunity and improve job quality.”

The department’s best practices are designed to guide employers and developers as they develop and deploy AI so that workers are empowered and workplace conditions are improved. 

Leaders echoed the importance of responsible AI development and deployment in promoting innovation and worker protection.

“Workers are the experts in how technology impacts their work. Unions give them a seat at the table so that we design technology that enhances their jobs, not degrades them,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “The Department of Labor’s new AI best practices are an important new tool to help employers understand the value of engaging their workers to ensure that these technologies actually improve productivity, work and workers’ lives.”  

“We applaud the Department of Labor’s best practices on AI and worker well-being,” said Partnership on AI CEO Rebecca Finlay. “These decision-making guides build on our Shared Prosperity Guidelines, co-created with our multistakeholder community. Together, we are working to ensure that the benefits of AI are broadly shared so we have a future of work that works for all of us.”

“We must ensure that AI serves the country’s workers. Incorporating worker perspectives is an important part of the AI principles, part of our company approach, and a key component of our partnership with AFL-CIO. We applaud Acting Secretary Su’s leadership in implementing these principles and we look forward to continuing this discussion,” said Microsoft Corp. Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Amy Pannoni.

“The advantages gained from AI need to be fairly distributed among patients, payors, healthcare workers and providers, with special attention to workers who might see their work transformed by the new technology,” said SEIU United Healthcare Workers’ Research Director and Assistant to the President for Strategic Campaigns David Miller. 

Learn more about the department’s AI Principles and Best Practices.