U.S. Secretary of Labor and union member Marty Walsh visited Cleveland on Oct. 25, including a stop to speak with local labor leaders at the Laborers 310 Union Hall.

Secretary Walsh, the former mayor of Boston and a member of Laborers Local 223, visited the city to promote passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, as well as President Biden’s Build Back Better Agenda.

The infrastructure bill passed the House on Nov. 5, but the date when Biden will sign the bill into law was not available as of The Labor Citizen press deadlines.

During his visit, Secretary Walsh visited local businesses, manufacturers and even the Flat Iron Café restaurant, an establishment with a long history of serving the working class in The Flats neighborhood.

Walsh visited the Laborers Local 310 Union Hall later in the afternoon, as it was not an official stop intended to promote the Biden legislative agenda. During his time at the Local 310 Union Hall, Walsh spoke to various building trades leaders from the area.

Secretary Walsh’s nomination by President Biden brought great excitement to the organized labor community. He is the first union member to occupy the position since William Usery Jr., who served in the late 70s.

In addition to meeting and speaking with union leaders, Secretary Walsh met with employer FIT Technologies and manufacturing training center, MAGNET.

He toured their facilities, accompanied by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), spoke with workers and management about the center and other factors related to the work climate in northeast Ohio.

The various stops were connected to various provisions within the infrastructure bill, which calls for a certain percentage of materials used on projects to be American made, hopefully creating more jobs in America’s manufacturing sector.

The manufacturing extension program operated by MAGNET is said to have helped retain or create 5,000 manufacturing jobs in northeast Ohio.

Walsh spoke to the media at MAGNET, praising their ability to keep local manufacturing jobs and establish relationships with local governments.

“To see the innovation that MAGNET has put together, the longevity of the program, the community partners, the public private partner relationships, having a relationship with the local government, state government and federal government is key,” Walsh said. “Now how do we replicate this in other parts of the country is why it’s important for me to see it firsthand.”

Included in the historic infrastructure legislation that was promoted by Walsh is $110 billion for roads and bridges, $39 billion to expand public transit systems, $66 billion for Amtrak maintenance, $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations, $65 billion to expand broadband access, $65 billion for electric grid improvements, $35 billion for airport improvements and $55 billion for water and wastewater improvements.

The bill is said to have the potential to add 2 million jobs every year over the next 10 years. Many of these jobs will be good paying, union jobs in the construction trades.