On the recordMarch 22, 2021
I am going to support the nomination of Mayor Marty Walsh to be the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Now, why is a guy from North Carolina here to encourage my colleagues to vote for the mayor of Boston, MA? Well, it is quite simple. Mayor Walsh has the background and skills and the awareness for the need of balance in conversations between labor and management. He has been a mayor; he has been a State representative; and he has also been a union leader. The Department of Labor serves an immensely important role in our economy and in the lives of the American people. Especially in the midst of a pandemic, with unemployment at 6.7 percent and 12.6 million Americans unemployed, this is a job that needs filling. But our Nation can't have a Labor Secretary that will ever be accused of being in cahoots with labor or beholden to management. I have made it clear that the Labor Secretary's job is to play a balanced role and to confront both, when necessary, for the protection of the rank-and- file workers. Mayor Walsh emphasized during his nomination hearing that he wanted to work with us collaboratively to help the American workers improve and expand opportunities. He respects the importance of job creators and the need for better coordination of numerous job training programs. Mayor Walsh is committed to making sure commerce and labor work cooperatively. He stated that the workers in a representation election have the right to listen to both sides.…
