Marty Walsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marty Walsh
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Official portrait, 2021
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| 6th Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players' Association | |
| Assumed office March 13, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Donald Fehr |
| 29th United States Secretary of Labor | |
| In office March 23, 2021 – March 11, 2023 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Deputy | Julie Su |
| Preceded by | Eugene Scalia |
| Succeeded by | Julie Su (acting) |
| Mayor of Boston | |
| In office January 6, 2014 – March 22, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas Menino |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Wu Kim Janey (acting) |
| Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from the 13th Suffolk district |
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| In office April 12, 1997 – January 3, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | James T. Brett |
| Succeeded by | Daniel J. Hunt |
| General Agent of the Boston Building Trades Council | |
| In office January 2011 – April 2013 |
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| Preceded by | James Coyle |
| Succeeded by | Brian Doherty |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Martin Joseph Walsh
April 10, 1967 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Lorrie Higgins
(m. 2024) |
| Education | Boston College (BA) |
Martin Joseph Walsh (born April 10, 1967) is an American leader in politics and trade unions. He served as the Mayor of Boston from 2014 to 2021. Then, he became the 29th United States Secretary of Labor from 2021 to 2023. As Secretary of Labor, he worked in President Joe Biden's team. In March 2023, Walsh left his role as Secretary of Labor. He then became the executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1997 to 2014. He also led a group of unions called the Boston Building Trades Council.
As mayor, Walsh was known for being friendly to real estate developers. Boston saw a lot of new buildings during his time. He helped add rules to the city's building plans to support fair housing. He also helped extend the school day in Boston Public Schools. He was part of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, which focuses on climate action. During his time as mayor, Boston faced challenges with homelessness. Walsh supported Boston's try to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, he later decided not to sign a financial promise, which led to the bid ending. He also supported Boston as a "sanctuary city" for immigrants. In 2015, he helped pass a law for city workers to get paid parental leave. In 2018, he signed a law to regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb. In 2016, General Electric moved its main office to Boston during his term. Towards the end of his time as mayor, he managed the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Martin Joseph Walsh was born on April 10, 1967, in Dorchester, Boston. His parents, John and Mary, were Irish immigrants. They came to the United States from Ireland in the late 1950s.
Walsh grew up in the Savin Hill area of Dorchester. When he was 7, he was diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a type of cancer. This meant he missed a lot of school and had to repeat fifth grade. After years of chemotherapy, he was cancer-free by age 11. He attended The Newman School for high school.
After high school, Walsh first worked in construction. He later went back to school at night. In 2009, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College.
Massachusetts State Representative (1997–2014)
Walsh started his political career by volunteering for state leaders. In 1996, he first ran for the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He lost that election but won a special election in 1997. He became the representative for the 13th Suffolk district. This district included parts of Dorchester, Boston and Quincy, Massachusetts. He was reelected eight times, often without anyone running against him.
Committee Work
During his time as a state representative, Walsh worked on many important committees. He helped lead a group focused on improving public construction. He also chaired committees on homeland security, federal affairs, and ethics. He was a vice chair for committees on consumer protection and local government.
Key Votes and Laws
Walsh made some important votes during his time. In 2007, he voted against a ban on same-sex marriage. He has said this was his "proudest vote." In 2005, he voted against bringing back the death penalty in Massachusetts.
He also supported a bill to let undocumented immigrants pay in-state tuition at colleges. This bill did not pass. Walsh strongly supported efforts to reform healthcare in Massachusetts. He wanted to make sure everyone had health coverage. He voted for the healthcare reform law that passed in 2006.
In 2013, Walsh introduced a bill to make "Roadrunner" the official rock song of Massachusetts. The song's writer, Jonathan Richman, actually said he didn't think the song was good enough!
Other Actions
Walsh supported the Pine Street Inn, an organization that helps homeless people. He wanted them to convert a house in his district into temporary housing. He also opposed building dorms at the University of Massachusetts Boston campus. This was against some union leaders but supported by many local residents.
Union Leadership (2001–2013)
Walsh started as a construction worker in 1988. He joined the Laborers' Union Local 223. In 2001, he became its secretary, and in 2005, its president. He held this role until he became mayor of Boston.
In 2011, Walsh became the head of the Boston Building Trades Council. This is a group that brings different construction unions together. He helped get a pay raise for employees of the Boston Housing Authority. He left this job in April 2013 when he decided to run for mayor.
Mayor of Boston (2014–2021)
In April 2013, Walsh announced he would run for Mayor of Boston. At first, not many people outside his district knew him.
Elections
In the first election round in September 2013, Walsh got the most votes among twelve candidates. He then faced John R. Connolly in the final election. On November 5, 2013, Walsh won with 51.5% of the votes. His victory was helped by strong support from different communities.
Walsh ran for reelection in 2017. He won easily in the first round with 62% of the votes. In the final election, he defeated Tito Jackson with 65% of the votes. He started his second term on January 1, 2018. Former Vice President Joe Biden was there for the ceremony.
Walsh was mayor of Boston from January 2014 until March 2021.
City Management
During Walsh's time, Boston's economy grew a lot. He was seen as supportive of new building projects. Many new homes and buildings were approved. This growth also brought challenges like rising housing costs.
In 2015, Walsh supported a law to give city employees paid parental leave. This meant new parents working for the city could take time off with pay. In 2016, General Electric moved its main office to Boston. The city and state offered them some financial help to do this.
Public Safety and Community
Walsh appointed William G. Gross as Boston's first African American police commissioner in 2018. In 2021, he appointed Dennis White, also African American, but White was suspended soon after due to past allegations. Walsh later created the Boston Police Reform Taskforce in 2020. He signed a law to create a police accountability office based on their ideas.
In 2017, Walsh confirmed Boston would remain a "sanctuary city." This means the city tries to protect people living there without official documents. He said, "If people want to live here, they'll live here."
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Walsh was mayor during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He kept the public updated through social media and text alerts. In March 2020, he declared a city-wide emergency. He put in place rules to slow the virus, like urging social distancing and closing public places. He also asked people to wear masks when leaving home.
He started the Boston Resiliency Fund to help people affected by the pandemic. He also created the Boston Rental Relief Fund to help people pay their rent. Many people praised his calm leadership during this difficult time.
Other City Issues
In 2014, Walsh ordered the closure of the Long Island Bridge due to safety concerns. This led to homeless programs on Long Island being moved. A homelessness crisis also grew in an area known as Mass and Cass. Walsh tried to address this, but it was still a problem when he left office.
Boston tried to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. Walsh supported this idea at first. But he later decided not to sign a financial promise for the event. This contributed to Boston's bid being canceled in 2015.
Walsh launched the Climate Ready Boston plan in 2015. This plan helps Boston prepare for the effects of climate change. He also worked with the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
In education, Walsh helped extend the school day by 40 minutes in Boston Public Schools. In 2018, he signed a law to regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb. This law required hosts to register with the city. In 2020, Walsh declared racism a public health crisis. He announced plans to create an "equity and inclusion cabinet" to address institutional racism.
Secretary of Labor (2021–2023)
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On January 7, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden chose Walsh to be his United States Secretary of Labor. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on March 22, 2021. He was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris the next day.
Walsh was the first former union leader to be Secretary of Labor in about 45 years. He often traveled around the country to meet with workers and unions.
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Walsh resigned from the Department of Labor on March 11, 2023. He left to become the executive director of the National Hockey League Players' Association.
Supporting Workers and Unions
As Secretary of Labor, Walsh worked to support workers and unions. In October 2021, he and Vice President Kamala Harris announced new rules to encourage more federal workers to join unions. This was to boost their collective bargaining power.
Walsh also became the first labor secretary to visit a picket line and stand with striking workers. He did this during the 2021 Kellogg's strike.
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Walsh helped solve a nine-month strike involving nurses in Massachusetts in December 2021. He also helped resolve a dispute in Major League Baseball. Walsh was involved in trying to prevent a strike in the 2022 United States railroad labor dispute. He helped reach a temporary agreement, but some unions rejected it. To avoid a major economic impact, Congress passed a bill to force the agreement.
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Rule Changes
During Walsh's time, the Department of Labor made new rules about healthcare and retirement funds. They reversed a previous rule that stopped retirement fund managers from considering environmental and social factors in investments. They also finalized rules to prevent surprise medical bills in health insurance.
Walsh also helped bring back a rule about "tipped" workers. This rule makes sure workers who spend most of their time not directly serving customers get the standard minimum wage, not the lower tipped wage.
The Department of Labor also set temporary rules to protect workers from COVID-19. Walsh strongly supported these rules.
Executive Director of the NHLPA (2023–Present)
On February 7, 2023, it was announced that Walsh would leave his role as Secretary of Labor. He would become the head of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). The NHLPA's board of directors officially confirmed him on February 16, 2023. He started this new role in mid-March. In this job, Walsh earns a much higher salary than he did as Secretary of Labor.
In October 2023, The Athletic reported that Walsh was taking a "personal approach" to his new role. He was meeting directly with players and giving them his personal phone number.
Arizona Coyotes Arena Situation
Walsh made solving the Arizona Coyotes arena situation a big priority. He was critical of the team playing in a small college arena without a clear plan for a new home. He said in February 2024 that the team should move if the situation didn't improve quickly. The limited seating and lack of luxury options were hurting the team's income. This also affected how much players received from their revenue-sharing agreement.
Walsh's public comments put pressure on the league. By the end of the 2023–24 NHL season, plans were made to move the Coyotes' assets to a new team in Salt Lake City. The Coyotes might be reactivated later if they can secure a new arena.
Other NHL Matters
In September 2023, claims were made that Columbus Blue Jackets head coach Mike Babcock was asking to see private photos on players' phones. Walsh quickly met with players and team executives to investigate. Babcock resigned from his coaching position within days.
Walsh supported NHL players being able to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. An agreement was reached in February 2024 for players to compete in both the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics.
Involvement in Politics
In 2023, Walsh started to become more visible in Boston again. After his time as Secretary of Labor, where his political activities were limited, he began to get involved in Boston politics. He made endorsements for candidates in the 2023 Boston City Council election.
In March 2024, Walsh said he had no plans to return to politics full-time. He stated, "my job is at the NHLPA." He added that he had done politics for 25 years and had moved on.
After President Biden withdrew from the 2024 United States presidential election, Walsh was part of a team that helped Vice President Harris choose her running mate. She chose Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Walsh and Harris had become friends when she was a U.S. senator.
Postal Service Nomination
On February 29, 2024, President Biden nominated Walsh to serve as a governor of the United States Postal Service. Walsh said he would not resign from his NHLPA job if confirmed. He noted that the postal service board is not a full-time job. He said he was "very committed to the players." However, in November 2024, Biden withdrew the nomination.
Personal Life
Marty Walsh was the first unmarried mayor of Boston in over sixty years. His longtime girlfriend, Lorrie Higgins, was called the city's "first girlfriend." In March 2024, Walsh and Higgins got married in the Caribbean. Walsh considers himself a grandfather to Higgins's grandchild.
Walsh and Higgins live in the Lower Mills neighborhood of Dorchester, Boston. Even though the NHLPA is in Toronto, Canada, Walsh remains based in Boston. While he was Secretary of Labor, he stayed in hotels in Washington, D.C., during the week and returned to Boston on weekends.
Walsh is a Roman Catholic. He speaks Irish and has both American and Irish citizenship. He has been a season ticket holder for the NFL's New England Patriots since 1994.
Honorary Degrees
Walsh has received several honorary degrees from colleges and universities.
- In 2014, he received his first honorary degree from the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology.
- In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from the Wentworth Institute of Technology.
- In 2019, he received an honorary degree from Bridgewater State University.
- In 2022, he received an honorary doctorate in law from Endicott College.
- In 2023, he received honorary doctorates from Suffolk University, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and Dean College.
Images for kids
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Walsh speaking to trade union volunteers for the 2012 Senate campaign of Elizabeth Warren.
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