President Joe Biden praised departing Labor Secretary Marty Walsh with a Friday statement, calling him "one tough union chief."
Walsh is leaving to take a position with the National Hockey League Players' Association, and the race is on to determine who will be his replacement.
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"Marty Walsh is one tough union chief," Biden's statement reads. "His record at the Department of Labor is a testament to the power of putting a card-carrying union member in charge of fighting for American workers."
Walsh, the former mayor of Boston, will be the first Cabinet secretary to depart the Biden administration.
The Daily Faceoff reported in early February that Walsh would soon be installed as the executive director of the NHLPA after a 10-month candidate search. Walsh had been rumored to be a top candidate for the post in recent weeks, and his hiring is in the process of being approved by all 32 members of the executive board.
As labor secretary, Walsh helped launch a "new era of worker power," Biden said in his statement, fighting for pay raises, paid sick days, better workplace protections, and a surge in organizing.
"He knows that unions make us all stronger, no matter what we do or where we come from," said Biden.
During Biden's first two years in office, Walsh served as a key administration mediator on several labor and supply chain-focused agreements, including one with the Port of Los Angeles in 2021 and one with railroad workers in the latter half of 2022.
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Walsh also served as the designated survivor during the State of the Union address.
"My dad used to say that a job is about a lot more than a paycheck, it’s about dignity and it’s about respect," Biden said. "Few people understand that more than Marty. I thank Marty for his work, which has made life better for millions of working Americans, and will serve as a model for all future Labor Secretaries who truly value American working people."