Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is leaving the Biden administration

Thank you, Senator Walsh, for helping us build a better America, and how we’ll take care of our country’s most vulnerable workers

“Earlier this week I met with @POTUS and he accepted that my time as Labor Secretary will conclude mid-March,” Walsh tweeted. “As a second-generation card-carrying union member, serving as your Secretary of Labor in the most pro-worker administration in our history is an immense privilege.”

Being Secretary of Labor is a privilege for someone who grew up in an active union family and carrying a card, according to the letter written by Walsh.

Congress stepped in to keep the trains running after rail unions rejected the deal. Shortly thereafter, one freight railroad reopened talks with unions over providing paid sick leave, announcing deals earlier this month.

“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.

Walsh is the son of Irish immigrants who followed their father into construction and helped to build Boston’s waterfront. He was the lead of Laborer’s Local 223 and later the umbrella organization known as North America’s Building Trades Unions, which represented tens of thousands of construction workers.

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.”

The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus recently threw its support behind Su’s potential appointment as Walsh’s replacement in a significant public display of support for an Asian American to join Biden’s Cabinet.

Su, a former California labor secretary, was believed to be among Biden’s finalists for labor secretary the first go around that ultimately went to Walsh. The former Michigan congressman had the support of major unions. The labor leaders did not support the effort by the Vermont independent senator.

“I leave @USDOL with a deeper understanding of why working people are the heart and soul and strength of our nation. I’m more convinced than ever of the resilience of our nation. Walsh said Thank you for everything.

His departure comes as the National Economic Council and the chief of staff of Biden have announced their own departures. Biden named former Covid 19 response chief Jeff Zianis as his replacement after he passed away. Lael Brainard was named by Biden as Deese’s replacement.