Washington, D.C. — This afternoon, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) had a virtual conversation with U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. Participants discussed the importance of investing in America’s workforce through innovative education and training programs, the future of green jobs in America, and promoting equity and inclusion so that nobody is left behind in America’s recovery from COVID-19. As the former mayor of Boston, and a former Trustee of the Conference, Secretary Walsh spoke about the important role mayors will play in building a 21st Century workforce and ensuring worker safety as cities continue to manage the pandemic. Mayors expressed support for the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan and agreed that the American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan will help bring about transformative change in our nation’s cities.

The mayors and the Secretary agreed that investing in American workers and quality jobs will help facilitate the nation’s economic recovery and forge a more equitable pathway to prosperity for every American, and both parties committed to continue working together in the coming months to accomplish these shared goals.

Mayors participating in the meeting included:

  • Louisville (KY) Mayor Greg Fischer, USCM President
  • Miami (FL) Mayor Francis Suarez, USCM 2nd Vice President
  • Phoenix (AZ) Mayor Kate Gallego, Chair of USCM Jobs, Education and the Workforce Standing Committee
  • Las Vegas (NV) Mayor Carolyn Goodman, Vice Chair of USCM Jobs, Education and the Workforce Standing Committee
  • Tacoma (WA) Mayor Victoria Woodards, Vice Chair of USCM Jobs, Education and the Workforce Standing Committee
  • Dallas (TX) Mayor Eric Johnson
  • Kansas City (MO) Mayor Quinton Lucas
  • Vancouver (WA) Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle
  • Albany (NY) Mayor Kathy Sheehan
  • Arlington (TX) Mayor Jeff Williams

Additional participants in the meeting included:

  • U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh
  • Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director
  • Trinh Nguyen, President of the USCM Workforce Development Council Board, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development
  • Pamela Nabors, Vice President of the USCM Workforce Development Council Board, President and CEO of CareerSource Central Florida
  • Nick Schultz, 2nd Vice President of the USCM Workforce Development Council Board, Executive Director of Pacific Gateway WIB
  • Tamara Atkinson, Executive Director of the Workforce Solutions-Capital Area Workforce Board
  • Katie Condit, CEO of Workforce Central
  • Doug Cotter, President of Grant Associates
  • Jaime Cruz, Executive Director of Workforce Connections
  • Michael Gritton, Executive Director of KentuckianaWorks
  • Laurie Larrea, President of Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas
  • Judy McDonald, Executive Director of Workforce Solutions for Tarrant County
  • Clyde McQueen, President and CEO of the Full Employment Council, Inc.
  • Kevin Perkey, CEO of Workforce Southwest Washington