On Monday, Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and operating mate Tim Walz paid tribute to staff throughout Labor Day marketing campaign stops in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. At a rally in Pittsburgh, Harris was joined on stage by President Joe Biden because the Democratic group emphasised its connections to labor and deep assist for unions.
In the meantime, Donald Trump campaigned … nowhere. The identical was true on Sunday. With solely about 9 weeks till Election Day, Trump couldn’t drag himself to any public occasions over the previous two days, popping up just for a weird interview with Fox Information on Sunday. And neither Trump nor his unpopular operating mate, JD Vance, made any public look on Monday.
The distinction between the 2 campaigns on the day devoted to American labor couldn’t have been extra clear. Harris and Walz stored a packed schedule, visiting industrial states and praising the work of organized labor in constructing America and securing advantages for all Individuals. In the meantime, Trump was sulking at Mar-a-Lago and JD Vance was … who is aware of?
Labor Day isn’t precisely a Trump type of vacation. Regardless of a pair of Reality Social messages claiming that he helps the “American Worker,” Trump’s sentiments on the concept of unions and employee assist have lengthy been clear.
There’s a motive Trump has staged a pretend union rally at a nonunion facility, and why unions are largely endorsing Harris even when Trump tries to woo them with insurance policies he by no means tried to enact when he had the prospect.
As labor chief and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta wrote on Monday, “Kamala Harris is the only presidential candidate fighting for a fair and just America for working people,” including:
It’s why since asserting her candidacy, she’s obtained huge assist from labor unions. Educators, well being care professionals, farmworkers, development staff, postal staff, service, and public workers, in addition to staff in communications, nursing, transportation, utility, and manufacturing, be part of a rising checklist of dozens of unions and almost all of organized labor stands with the Vice President.
At an look in Milwaukee, Walz addressed union staff gathered to have a good time “Laborfest.” And he made it clear simply the place he stands on the significance of unions.
“They said, ‘Tim is in the pocket of organized labor.’ I said, ‘That’s a damn lie. I am the pocket,'” Walz mentioned. “If you want to attack me for standing up for collective bargaining for fair wages, for safe working conditions, for health care and retirement, you roll the damn dice. I’ll take my chances on that.”
Labor Day historically kicks off the “sprint” to the election. It’s one of many final federal holidays earlier than the election, and a day targeted on the working-class and middle-class Individuals that each campaigns want to achieve to win in November. And Trump skipped it.
In the meantime, Biden took the stage Monday to thank staff and showcase his assist for Harris.
That Biden would genuinely want the very best for Harris and be pleased to assist her is meaningless to Trump.
And Harris made clear simply what Individuals owe to union staff who sacrificed and fought for advantages now shared by everybody.
“For more than 150 years, the brothers and sisters of labor have helped lead the fight for fair pay, better benefits, and safe working conditions. And every person in our nation has benefited from that work,” Harris informed the viewers in Pittsburgh. “You know, everywhere I go I tell people, ‘You may not be a union member, but you better thank unions for that five-day workweek. Thank unions for sick leave. Thank unions for paid family leave. Thank unions for your vacation time.’ Because when union wages go up, everyone’s wages go up. When union workplaces are safer, all workplaces are safer. When unions are strong, America is strong.”
Harris’ look in Pittsburg comes as polls proceed to point out a decent race in Pennsylvania. Sturdy assist amongst union staff will probably be important to securing a Democratic victory within the Keystone State, which has the most electoral votes of any swing state.
Trump’s absence from the path on Labor Day could mirror greater than his distaste for staff. Regardless of a political media that makes Trump appear extra lively by protecting seemingly each occasion of his, Trump is continuous what has been a lax marketing campaign schedule, with no public marketing campaign occasions deliberate till Saturday. As Harris and Walz conduct multiday journeys throughout swing states, Trump sits slumped in his golf cart. It actually appears that the 78-year-old Trump isn’t up for a lot labor of his personal.
