Let's broad out this conversation because I'm pleased to say now that joining us is US acting Labor Secretary, Julie Sue, Secretary. This is our last conversation together in this specific context, and of course we're on the heels of a blowout jobs report for the December hiring period. As you prepare to hand off to the incoming Trump administration, would you describe this labor market as a fully employed America? What work is still left to be done?
I mean, there's of course still work to do, and we've said that from the beginning, which is why from the beginning we said the unprecedented crises facing this country required an unprecedented solution, an unprecedented response, including by the federal government, and that's what we have done. And today's numbers following on the heels of consistent, steady, stable growth sixteen point seven million jobs since his president came into office. He is the only president that has had positive job
growth every single month of his presidency. And that is what we hand off because we knew that that's what the American people deserved, and we knew that if we focused on what was good for workers first, that we could have recovery like no other, and that's certainly what this month's numbers reflect.
Yeah, I believe we're looking at forty eight months with consecutive payroll gains, and that, of course is going in data going back to nineteen thirty nine. I do want to talk about the manufacturing sector, because if you're looking for some pain, you're going to find it there in the manufacturing sector shedding jobs again in December. What do you think is going on specifically in that industry. Can we draw a line between those job losses to all of the different labor disputes that.
We've been seeing. No, I would draw the line too. Really decades of economic policies, trade policies that have not favored workers, and of commitment to jobs, which is also why President Biden came in and said we're going to invest in manufacturing. As a result, the recovery that we've seen since twenty twenty one is the only economic recovery in this century in which the manufacturing sector actually bounced
back from a crisis like the one we inherited. And so there's more work to do, there's no question about it. And we know that workers in states where manufacturing has been the foundation need continued investments, and there's some uncertainly about that because the incoming administration has raised questions about
whether those investments would continue. But what we've seen is that doing that, having the Inflation Reduction Act right, having investments in bringing manufacturing back to the United States into our heartland is the right way to build the economy.
One more here on manufacturing here, because both American workers and investors alike are looking for any potential future pains that could come. How much do you see this as a harbinger for future cooling in the labor market or do you think that this is just attributed to cyclical factors.
Well, I mean, at this point, any sort of change in direction in terms of investing in American manufacturing right and investing in the companies who've committed to make things here and making sure those investments result in not just numbers of jobs, but good jobs. Any reversal of that
feels like it would be terribly irresponsible. And so you know, we've certainly seen again the growth that we've seen steadily over this administration does not happen by accident, and the reversal of decades long trends that have not been good for working people. Also cannot happen overnight. So my hope is that we are handing off the strongest economy in the world right now, and the work remains unfinished, and that commitment to workers, we hope will continue too, so
those manufacturing jobs can continue to come back. And we've seen two years of very strong growth in construction that's non residential construction. A lot of that because of the presence infrastructure promises that we've been delivering on, and you've got to build the factories before you can employ people in them, so that's still work to come exactly.
That work has to continue, ma'am. I wonder in terms of the transition, if you've spoken with incoming the incoming labor nominee Lori Chavez de Raymer, have you had those conversations with her team as part of the transition.
Now, my team has been very cooperative. Their transition team has been here on site, and we are in every way going to cooperate both to make sure that they can succeed, but also to make sure that the strength of the department that we've built up right, not only to do all these good things we've talked about in terms of job creation and connecting people to good jobs, but also that really basic mission of enforcing labor laws, making sure that every worker gets a just days pay
for a hard day's work, making sure every worker comes home healthy and safe. Those are fundamental responsibilities of the Department, and and our fifteen thousand strong federal workers are gonna continue that really important work. And so we're cooperating with following the Presence instruction that we make this a very smooth transfer of power.
Well, let's talk, of course about what the new Labor Department will have to deal with when it comes to extreme weather. You and I have spoken before about the impacts, of course of the hurricanes Milton and Helene on the labor market, and we're witnessing devastating wildfires underway in California in the Los Angeles area. How much of an impact would you expect that to have on the January print and the revisions going forward from there?
Yeah, I mean, thank you for mentioning that. You know, that is my home state and my home city, and so I've talked to lots of friends, family members who it's the human impact of climate change, and you know, it's devastating, right, from wildfires to hurricanes. We've seen that just in the last few years, even you know, part of our job here is to make sure that those workers who go in and do the work during those disasters are themselves paid and healthy and safe in doing
that job. It's also to make sure that when communities have to recover, that they get the disaster benefits and relief that they need. And so again, those are really fundamental, important roles of the department, and we also leave a department that's really strongly poised to deliver on those kinds of things.
But it's devastating, all right, Secretary, we have to leave it there. We really appreciate you taking the time to speak with us on these labor releases over the past several months, and best of luck in your next role, that is Acting Labor Secretary. Julie Sue