LABOR NEWS

A NEW CHAPTER FOR LABOR:

RECAPPING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S FIRST 100 DAYS

When President Joe Biden was sworn in, our nation was facing unprecedented challenges — challenges to democracy, to the economy, and to our own health and safety. These challenges disproportionately affected working people who kept our country running even as everything stopped to a standstill. President Biden and his team knew that in order to put our country back on track, he would need to prioritize working families. While we still have a long way to go, here’s what the current administration has accomplished over the past few months.

A LABOR DEPARTMENT FOR WORKING PEOPLE

Marty Walsh is the first Secretary of Labor with union ties in almost 50 years, replacing union-busting attorney Rene Alexander Acosta.

Walsh is joined by Julie Su, who led record-setting labor law enforcement in her native California. Jennifer Abruzzo, who was appointed General Counsel to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), rounds out the new picks, ending an era of corporate cronies taking up space in the NLRB.

DIRECT ECONOMIC RELIEF

The pandemic has brought new economic challenges, but President Biden acted quickly to implement the American Rescue Plan. The Plan directly funneled relief to those that needed it most, including $86 billion to support union pension plans, and billions to help schools and businesses reopen safely. The Plan also expanded access to unemployment benefits to veterans and workers who have faced unsafe conditions due to COVID-19.

SECURING COVID-19 VACCINES

Under the President’s leadership, we’ve watched production and approval for COVID-19 vaccines ramp up to meet his goal of 200 million vaccines by the end of May. Now, we’ve managed to surpass this goal and are on track to have a surplus of vaccines by this summer. Although we must still stay vigilant against rising cases, the successful production rollout offers a light at the end of the tunnel.

BUILDING BACK BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE

The Biden administration unveiled the first part of a sweeping $2 trillion infrastructure plan in March, calling for critical improvements to 20,000 miles of roads, bridges, public transit, and more. If passed, the proposal would create thousands of union jobs for sheet metal workers across the country.

CHAMPIONING PRO-LABOR LEGISLATION

President Biden’s early actions on Capitol Hill have already solidified him as a key ally to labor. Right out the gate, he’s rescinded Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) through Executive Order, ensuring apprenticeship programs like ours are here to stay. To cap it off, Biden’s endorsement of the National Apprenticeship Act marks a big win for our industry-leading training programs.

“WHAT WE WANT TO

DO IS MAKE SURE WE

BRING THE CONFIDENCE

AND THE RESPECT BACK

TO THOSE WORKERS

WHO ARE WORKING

ON BEHALF OF THE

AMERICAN PEOPLE

EVERY SINGLE DAY."