Current:Home > StocksLabor Secretary Marty Walsh leaves Biden administration to lead NHL players' union -Balance Wealth Academy
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh leaves Biden administration to lead NHL players' union
View
Date:2025-04-16 10:01:19
Two years into the job, Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is joining the Great Resignation.
The Labor Department announced Thursday that Walsh, a former union leader and mayor of Boston, will leave his post in mid-March. His next stop: the National Hockey League Players' Association, where he was unanimously appointed Executive Director, the NHLPA said in a statement.
"As someone who grew up in an active union family and is a card-carrying union member, serving as Secretary of Labor and being given this unique opportunity to help working people is itself a privilege," Walsh said in a letter to colleagues shared by the Labor Department.
He called Biden "the most pro-worker and pro-union president" in U.S. history.
Walsh's Senate confirmation in March 2021 was celebrated by labor organizations and unions who were thrilled to see one of their own installed as Labor Secretary.
In what was perhaps his biggest test as Labor Secretary, Walsh stepped into the high-profile labor dispute between the nation's freight railways and the rail unions, brokering a tentative deal to avert a nationwide rail strike. However, the deal proved unpopular with rank-and-file rail workers for its lack of paid sick leave, among other things. Some rail workers blamed Walsh, saying he, along with Biden, had let them down.
In the end, after multiple rail unions voted to reject the deal, Congress stepped in to impose the terms to keep the trains running through the holidays. Shortly thereafter, one freight railroad reopened talks with unions over providing paid sick leave, announcing deals earlier this month.
Under Walsh's leadership, the Labor Department has pushed for a reshaping of workplace laws and regulations, including proposing a rule that would lower the bar for who must be classified as a employee of a company rather than an independent contractor. The rule could affect construction workers, home health care aides, custodians and others who, as independent contractors, are not entitled to overtime pay and other federal protections.
"While independent contractors have an important role in our economy, we have seen in many cases that employers misclassify their employees as independent contractors, particularly among our nation's most vulnerable workers," Walsh said last October, when the proposed rule was unveiled.
The son of Irish immigrants, Walsh grew up in the working-class Dorchester neighborhood of Boston and followed his dad into construction, helping to build Boston's waterfront. He rose to lead Laborer's Local 223 and later the umbrella organization known as North America's Building Trades Unions, where he represented tens of thousands of construction workers.
As news of Walsh's departure emerged, labor groups offered praise.
"Marty Walsh has labor in his bones, and he proudly championed the nation's workers in Washington just as he's done throughout his life and career," said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. "North America's hockey pros, Boston Bruins players among them, could not ask for a more dedicated and committed advocate."
In his goodbye letter, Walsh praised his deputy Julie Su, who formerly led California's labor and workforce agency, saying he was "confident there will be continuity and the work will be sustained."
veryGood! (835)
Related
- 2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
- Here's why Arizona says it can keep growing despite historic megadrought
- ‘There Are No Winners Here’: Drought in the Klamath Basin Inflames a Decades-Old War Over Water and Fish
- Transcript: Rep. Michael McCaul on Face the Nation, July 16, 2023
- The FTC says 'gamified' online job scams by WhatsApp and text on the rise. What to know.
- Hollywood's Black List (Classic)
- Dylan Lyons, a 24-year-old TV journalist, was killed while reporting on a shooting
- At least 3 dead in Pennsylvania flash flooding
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Beyoncé's Adidas x Ivy Park Drops a Disco-Inspired Swim Collection To Kick off the Summer
Ranking
- Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
- Consumer advocates want the DOJ to move against JetBlue-Spirit merger
- Arby's+? More restaurants try subscription programs to keep eaters coming back
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $250 Crossbody Bag for Just $79
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- The Enigmatic ‘Climate Chancellor’ Pulls Off a Grand Finale
- Inside Clean Energy: Arizona’s Net-Zero Plan Unites Democrats and Republicans
- The Voice Announces 2 New Coaches for Season 25 in Surprise Twist
Recommendation
Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
Maluma Is Officially a Silver Fox With New Salt and Pepper Hairstyle
Child labor violations are on the rise as some states look to loosen their rules
We're talking about the 4-day workweek — again. Is it a mirage or reality?
DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
Houston’s Mayor Asks EPA to Probe Contaminants at Rail Site Associated With Nearby Cancer Clusters
Black married couples face heavier tax penalties than white couples, a report says
In a Stark Letter, and In Person, Researchers Urge World Leaders at COP26 to Finally Act on Science