Walsh Goes To Washington: Boston Mayor Accepts Labor Nomination

BOSTON — Mayor Marty Walsh is saying goodbye to Boston. In a statement Thursday night, Walsh pledged to fight for workers as President-elect Joe Biden's Labor secretary.

"Working people, labor unions, and those fighting every day for their shot at the middle class are the backbone of our economy and of this country," Walsh tweeted. "As Secretary of Labor, I'll work just as hard for you as you do for your families and livelihoods. You have my word."

City Council President Kim Janey will serve as acting mayor.

"This is something that we knew there was a possibility of. Obviously it wasn't official until just recently," Dev Chatterjee, Janey's spokesperson, told Politico's Stephanie Murray. "We're still waiting to hear from that office and make sure we know how to move forward."

Walsh was announced as Biden's pick for Labor secretary Thursday afternoon, but the mayor did not immediately respond to reports. His departure leaves a wide open mayoral field this November, which already includes Boston City Councilors Michelle Wu and Andrea Campbell.

“Congratulations to Mayor Marty Walsh on his nomination as Labor Secretary for the Biden Administration. He will be the first union member to serve in this role in nearly 50 years, and his leadership will come at a critical time for the labor movement," Wu said in a statement. "There is much work to do to clean up the backwards, anti-worker policies of the Trump administration that have hurt so many here in our city, and Boston needs a partner to fight for working families at the federal level."

Campbell said Walsh's nomination is a "fitting role for someone who has spent his entire career fighting for working people in and out of public service."

"For Boston, there's so much at stake in 2021 as we look to recover from this pandemic and reimagine what our city can be without persistent inequities," Campbell tweeted. "I know Mayor Walsh will be a partner in that work in this new role."

Walsh, a Democrat, has been the mayor of Boston since 2014. He previously served as a state representative for more than 10 years and was a longtime labor union president.

His appointment comes amid debate over diversity in Biden's cabinet. The president-elect was expected to tap a union favorite to head the department, which will play a pivotal role in enacting his pro-worker agenda.

"If [Walsh] does take this job, obviously we'll wish him well and do everything we can to ensure that in the midst of this difficult time that we transition effectively and quickly and collaboratively," Gov. Charlie Baker said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.

A native son of Boston, Walsh was raised by Irish immigrant parents in a triple-decker in Dorchester. He has publicly discussed his struggles with alcohol as a young man, introducing himself at the 2016 Democratic National Convention by saying: "Good evening. My name is Marty Walsh, and I'm an alcoholic."

As mayor, Walsh led Boston's continued economic and cultural boom, while grappling with challenges such as gentrification, the pricing out of longtime residents and the city's painful history of racial tensions.

He recently oversaw Boston's response to the coronavirus pandemic, helping to navigate the impact of new health and safety restrictions on local businesses, schools and transportation.

But his tenure has not been without controversy. In 2019, Walsh's former director of tourism, Kenneth Brissette, and ex-chief of intergovernmental affairs, Timothy Sullivan, were convicted of trying to strong-arm the organizers of the Boston Calling music festival into using union labor by withholding city permits.

A federal judge later threw out the convictions, saying a quid pro quo was not adequately proven.

The president-elect has praised Walsh as a "man of extraordinary character in a moment when we need more character and incredible courage."

"We need leaders who will stand up against the ugly divisiveness spewing out of Washington every day," Biden said at Walsh's second mayoral inauguration.

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Material from The Associated Press were used in this story.