Acting United States Secretary of Labor Julie Su was nominated by President Biden’s cabinet on March 11th, 2023, to fill the vacancy after Marty Walsh’s resignation. Su’s mother is Chinese, and her father is Taiwanese. Her focus is a push for progress in human rights and equality in the workplace. Su hails from Wisconsin and is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
SAMPAN: Some of your most successful policy changes in the past stem from individual cases, like restaurants and sweatshops, and grow larger. How has this ground-up strategy worked, especially with migrant workers?
SU: My first job as a lawyer was at a nonprofit organization now called Asian Americans Advancing Justice. I have always advocated for workers’ rights and Asian American civil rights. I got that first job through a fellowship where I was able to choose what I wanted so I represented many immigrant workers – in factories, warehouses, car washes, retail stores, and restaurants. I spent years fighting for workers, including garment workers, trafficked from Thailand, held against their will, and forced to work behind barbed wire, right here in the United States.
I was always so honored when working people entrusted me to be their advocate… There are never enough resources in nonprofit organizations, so we wanted to be strategic and smart about the impact we could make with each case. Some changed laws, some sent a message to corporations that they should pay attention to the impact of their practices on workers in their supply chain, and some improved labor practices in an entire industry.
I feel the same way today in my current role as Acting Secretary of Labor. We want our investigations and cases to make as much impact on improving conditions for working people and for law-abiding employers as possible. I came into government with the same idea that you could make a difference in people’s lives, make government work well, and be truly accessible.
SAMPAN: What have you learned from your parents, who came here nearly empty-handed, that you can practice on a larger scale?
SU: I’m proud to carry the lessons my parents taught me, which includes their experiences as immigrants, into every room, and every meeting. When he announced my nomination, the President called me “the American Dream.” My parents believed in it, I benefited from it, and I want to do my part to make sure it is a reality for workers, business owners, families, and communities across the nation.
My mom’s journey… began with a 30-day voyage on a cargo ship from China… At first, my parents worked minimum-wage jobs. When I was six years old, my mom got a union job working for Los Angeles County. It meant a secure income, family health benefits, and a path to the middle class. A good union job changes lives, and that belief is really what drives my work here at the Department of Labor.
While I was growing up, my family also saw opportunities…in the form of small businesses. My parents owned a dry cleaning and laundromat business, and then a franchise pizza restaurant. For years, my dad would work his day job and then head right to the pizza shop, returning home after 10 p.m., often with leftover pizza for our school lunches the next day. That’s how I know small business owners are the engines of our economy because I watched it every day. In my current role, I also see how many Asian-owned businesses are critical to our economy and make up a significant proportion of small businesses – they’re also relying on us to enforce labor laws to create a level playing field for them.
I grew up translating for my parents, a common experience for immigrant children. This experience made me comfortable navigating different worlds and also taught me the importance of creating understanding and a sense of community for people who might feel like outsiders. It helped shape my leadership style, which is to be as inclusive as possible as I build my team of over 17,000 staff at the Department of Labor, as well as to think about who needs our services the most across America that we need to reach. It’s also why I set up the first office for language access at the Department of Labor to provide in-language materials for workers in the languages they speak.
SAMPAN: In 2000, U and T visas were created as a result of your early career work in exposing exploitative sweatshop work right here in the United States. How do you see that legacy today? If the lawmaking was completely in your control, is there anything you might have done differently?
SU: The legacy of the El Monte garment workers’ case continues to be felt in so many ways. It expanded corporate responsibility for up-the-chain employers in the garment industry and launched still strong anti-sweatshop movements and organizations. It shone a light on human trafficking and spurred a response from federal, state, and local law enforcement that changed laws and the dedication of resources. It also showed that workers coming together – including Asian and Latino garment workers who share similar experiences of exploitation – can use the legal system to demand justice. Their case is taught in high school, college, and law school classes across the country. The U and T visas protect human trafficking workers, allowing them to come forward without fear of deportation.
Although I was not in government at the time, the case also demonstrated how important it is to have a Department of Labor working to ensure that workers understand their rights, that employers understand their responsibilities, and that the Department enforces the laws that protect workers.
Migrant workers are essential to our shared economic success, and we are working to reach them in their languages and in the communities where they live and work to make clear that worker protections and rights apply to everyone, regardless of immigration status.
The most important thing I learned from the El Monte garment workers’ case is that to achieve justice for all, we must work together in solidarity, and we need to lift the voices of workers, especially those toiling in the shadows, underpaid and undervalued, who’ve been forgotten or feel invisible. I’ve spent my career fighting for these workers to be seen, and for their voices to be heard. I’m honored to continue that work at the Department of Labor. For more, go to MigrantWorker.gov or TrabajadorMigrante.gov.
SAMPAN: Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared a state of emergency due to a lack of emergency housing for migrant families. One of the issues she cited included “barriers to securing work.” How do you plan on mitigating this situation?
One of my priorities as Acting Secretary of Labor is embedding equity into everything we do. That means the Department is working collaboratively across the administration to structure investments so that they have the greatest potential for increasing participation among women, people of color, and other underrepresented communities, especially in the skilled trades and manufacturing workforce where so many good jobs are being created. That includes intentionally investing in programs that provide access to comprehensive wraparound supportive services, which are too often a barrier to entry for many workers.
SAMPAN: Past secretaries of labor often served in short terms, with mixed approvals from the United States government and the general public, often due to the inherent divisiveness in policies handled by the Department of Labor. Your predecessor, former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Avoided such controversy in office, such as by de-escalating the possible railroad strike. How do you strive to find a balance in your decisions?
When I first joined…as Deputy Secretary…I worked with Secretary Walsh to deliver on the President’s promise to build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out. Former Secretary Walsh always made sure I was a partner and a friend and I’m deeply grateful for that.
When it comes to progress, the results speak for themselves: the U.S. economy has added over 13.4 million jobs since President Biden came into office – more in just 2.5 years than any President in 4 years – and just as importantly, we’re laser-focused on making sure that these are good jobs.
At the Department of Labor, our goal is to connect ALL workers to the good jobs we’re creating. We’re expanding access to apprenticeships in in-demand industries and training opportunities in advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and so much more – many of these jobs don’t require a four-year degree and are proven earn-as-you-learn models that expand pathways into the middle class for historically marginalized communities. We would like to see more Asian Americans get access to these opportunities for good-paying careers.
Since President Biden took office, the administration has been laser-focused on advancing programs for those who have traditionally been left out or left behind in the past. This President believes that an economy that works for workers is the best kind we can build. We need to stay focused on positivity, equity, and progress.
SAMPAN: Do you see this job ideal fit for you?
I never imagined I would serve in the cabinet of the United States, chosen by the President to help make life better for the American people, so yes, I am incredibly honored. I also recognize that not enough Asian Americans and Chinese Americans have the opportunity to serve at this level, so I also feel proud to represent my community and bring the perspective to the Cabinet. For example, it is essential to talk about the need for materials to be in different languages and the impact of the anti-Asian violence and anti-Chinese rhetoric during the prior administration. The President also wanted to build the most pro-worker, pro-union administration in history and make sure all communities are seen and heard — two things that I have also been passionate about throughout my life. I’m deeply honored to be the Acting Secretary… under a President who has prioritized workers and people of color in his economic agenda.
