President-elect Joe Biden has chosen Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as his labor secretary, according to a report Thursday.
Walsh, a former union leader, was selected for the cabinet post over Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.), former Labor Secretary Seth Harris, California Labor Secretary Julie Su and AFL-CIO chief economist Bill Spriggs, Politico reported.
Biden, who has been pressed to ensure his administration is “diverse,” picked Walsh, who is white, over Spriggs, who is black.
But the former vice president was also under pressure to nominate someone who had a relationship with and support of the unions.
Walsh reportedly had the backing of AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka.