IUOE Applauds Confirmation of Marty Walsh as Secretary of the Department of Labor

WASHINGTON, DC — The following statement was issued by James T. Callahan, General President of the International Union of Operating Engineers, on the confirmation of Marty Walsh for Secretary of Labor:

“The International Union of Operating Engineers applauds the bipartisan Senate vote to confirm Marty Walsh as Secretary of Labor. In his prior governmental posts, Walsh has proven himself to be a dedicated public servant known to be fair and open minded.

Secretary Walsh begins his tenure during a tumultuous time for the American worker. During this pandemic, health and safety is a daily concern among the workforce, while millions more struggle with unemployment and loss of benefits. Walsh’s strong leadership will be absolutely critical in standing up and enforcing a safety agenda at OSHA that puts workers first. Protecting workers from wage theft and investing in training and workforce development will also be high on the agenda for the new Secretary.

Today, America’s working class can feel secure knowing they have a real ally at the Department of Labor who believes in fair pay for a hard day’s work and cares about their safety and well-being. The International Union of Operating Engineers has enjoyed a collaborative working relationship with Secretary Walsh and we look forward to working with him to improve the working conditions of Operating Engineers and all workers throughout the United States.”

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) represents over 400,000 working people across the United States and Canada. Members of the IUOE are primarily operating engineers, who work as heavy equipment and crane operators, pipeliners, mechanics, and surveyors in the construction industry, and stationary engineers, who work in operations and maintenance in building and industrial complexes, as well as a number of job classifications in the petrochemical industry.