US labor secretary Marty Walsh 'encouraged' by March jobs report but there's still 'more work to do'

Biden’s Labor Secretary Marty Walsh reacts to March jobs report

Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh argues that the ‘robust’ jobs report in March was due to ‘good economic policy’ and ‘a competent vaccination plan.’

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh said he is “encouraged” by Friday’s jobs report, but acknowledged America still has “a long way to go” during an interview on FOX Business' “Varney and Co.”

Employers added 916,000 jobs in March, showing the labor market’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is gaining further momentum, according to the Labor Department.

US ECONOMY ADDS 916,000 JOBS IN MARCH AS SERVICE-SECTOR HIRING BOOMS

The unemployment rate, meanwhile, ticked down to 6%, its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the gains, the U.S. economy has 8.4 million fewer jobs than it did before the pandemic.

“We still have much more work to do,” Walsh told Ashley Webster Friday. “[Looking at] these numbers month after month, we don't really see a trend yet. So we still have a long way to go.”

Walsh credited recent job gains to “good economic policy,” as well as a “competent vaccination plan” that has helped many Americans feel confident returning to work.

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The leisure and hospitality industries, in particular, saw an employment boost in March. Walsh believes this will expand to other related businesses such as convention centers as soon as more people get vaccinated.

“We have a lot of room for growth in those areas,” he said.

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Walsh went on to say recovering jobs isn’t enough. The administration is also aiming to build back the middle class, which he says will be achieved by the recently announced infrastructure plan.

“That’s something that's going to be important moving forward as far as economic policies for the United States of America and for the American workers,” he said.

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FOX Business’ Jonathan Garber contributed to this article.

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