The Biden administration celebrated the holiday weekend like it was Labor Day, with a focus on union workers. Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made appearances to show support for labor unions across the country. Biden visited a United Auto Workers (UAW) facility in Illinois, where he expressed gratitude for the sacrifices made by autoworkers during the 2008 financial crisis. He also met with UAW President Shawn Fain and took time to commend the union’s disruptive strike strategy, as well as his own support of the workers. During Biden’s visit, a woman protested for a cease-fire in Gaza but was quickly removed from the room.
Meanwhile, Harris traveled to Boston for an event with Pipefitters Local 537 to discuss the administration’s support for apprenticeships. She emphasized the dignity of work and the value of labor unions in her career. Harris also highlighted other union victories, such as the tentative agreements reached by SAG-AFTRA with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and Culinary Workers Union Local 226 with Caesar’s Entertainment and MGM Resorts International.
At the Stellantis facility reopening in Illinois, a White House official stated that the visit was a testament to the president’s support for unions and his economic agenda. According to the statement, the reopening reflected the president’s vision of companies retooling, rehiring, and reinvesting in communities. In Las Vegas, secretary-treasurer Ted Pappageorge praised the new contracts secured by Culinary Local 226 with MGM, which included significant raises, preserved benefits, and improvements in workload reductions and safety.
Biden voiced his support for the SAG-AFTRA agreement and emphasized the importance of negotiations between employers and workers for the benefit of all parties. He stated that workers have achieved historic victories that result in better pay, benefits, and an economy that grows from the middle out and bottom up. The president commended the sacrifices made by workers to secure a better future for themselves and their families. Overall, the Biden administration’s support for labor unions was at the forefront of the holiday weekend celebrations.