On Labor Day we honor the achievements of America’s workers and this year, we have a historic victory to celebrate: Since President Biden took office, we’ve added 9.5 million jobs to the economy and the unemployment rate has plunged to 3.5 percent, matching a 53-year low.
At every turn, working people are seizing opportunities and proving that, even though work is changing, America is a country filled with hard workers. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership, the jobs that will be created under the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act will only build on this momentum.
As we recognize Labor Day in 2022, I want to highlight a few of the many ways the U.S. Department of Labor and the Biden-Harris administration are empowering workers by promoting good jobs and providing the tools and resources they need to succeed:
We’re focusing on improving job quality – and job equity – in our Good Jobs Initiative
From providing workers with the information they need to get in-demand skills to investing in training and workforce development opportunities to help them advance their careers, we’re working with a wide range of employers and government agencies through our Good Jobs Initiative. This collaborative effort will help us improve job quality – and job equity – across our economy as the Inflation Reduction Act continues to open new opportunities for workers and lower costs for families across the country.
We’re empowering workers to organize and successfully bargain with their employers
I am here today because of unions, so I’m proud that the Department of Labor is playing a leading role in mobilizing the federal government’s efforts to protect and advance the rights of America’s workers. Through the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, (that I co-chair with Vice President Kamala Harris) we’re developing new tools and resources like the Worker Organizing Resource and Knowledge Center to protect every worker’s right to organize. Increasing union membership means a stronger economy and better quality of life for workers and their families – and I’m living proof.
We’re honoring the essential workers who moved us forward through the pandemic
Amid the pandemic, our nation’s essential workers redefined what it truly means to show up for your neighbor. As a nation, many have a new understanding and appreciation of the vital jobs these people do and the services they people provide us every single day. To ensure that their collective sacrifices and commitment are never forgotten, the Department of Labor will induct the Essential Workers of the Coronavirus Pandemic into its Hall of Honor. I invite to join us live as we bestow the department’s highest honor and induct a representative group of these important workers in a live online ceremony on September 1st at 11 a.m. EDT at www.dol.gov/live.
These are a few of the ways we’re celebrating workers this Labor Day. Learn more about this important national holiday at www.dol.gov/LaborDay and, if you dare, I challenge you to join my team here in Washington in a test of Labor Day knowledge.
As you look forward to the summer’s last long weekend, pause for a moment and remember: Every recovery has a lesson to teach. Here’s one for this Labor Day: Never bet against America’s workers.
Marty Walsh is the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @SecMartyWalsh
