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Harris, union members and elected officials gather in Detroit for Labor Day • Michigan Advance

By meerna Sep 3, 2024

Harris, union members and elected officials gather in Detroit for Labor Day • Michigan Advance

At a passionate Labor Day rally in Detroit on Monday, Vice President Kamala Harris pledged to support an “opportunity economy” and workers’ rights to unionize.

“When union wages go up, everybody’s wages go up,” the Democratic presidential candidate said during a 15-minute speech that was met with thunderous applause. “When union workplaces are safer, every workplace is safer. When unions are strong, America is strong.”

About 350 union members and elected officials attended the rally at Northwestern High School, where attendees chanted “We will not back down” and “(Donald) Trump is a strikebreaker.” Trump, a Republican, served as president from 2017 to 2021. He won Michigan’s Electoral College election in 2016 by fewer than 11,000 votes, but lost to President Joe Biden in 2020 by more than 154,000 votes.

“This Labor Day, Michiganders will not fall for Kamala Harris’ dog and pony show. Her policies, like the Radical Green New Deal, are anti-worker,” Trump Michigan spokeswoman Victoria LaCivita said in a statement. “Her attack on American energy has made the cost of living unaffordable, and her plan to ban gasoline-powered cars will destroy the backbone of our economy. President Donald Trump will restore all of the above energy plans, protect Michigan auto jobs, and support American workers.”

Harris will face Trump on November 5.

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) and U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is running against former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-White Lake) for Michigan’s open U.S. Senate seat, both spoke at the rally.

Also attending the meeting were Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessell, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, U.S. Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham), U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and U.S. Congressman Shri Thanedar (D-Detroit).

Vice President Kamala Harris joins labor leaders, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Laborers’ International Union of North America President Brent Booker, Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, on stage during a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Holly, left, and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, second from right, attend a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris joins labor leaders, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Laborers’ International Union of North America President Brent Booker, Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, on stage during a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris joins labor leaders, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Laborers’ International Union of North America President Brent Booker, Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, on stage during a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris joins labor leaders, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Laborers’ International Union of North America President Brent Booker, Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, on stage during a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris embraces LiUNA member Tyrese West on stage during a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat from Holly, speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Labor leaders, including National Education Association President Becky Pringle, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Laborers’ International Union of North America President Brent Booker, Utility Workers Union of America President James Slevin and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, attend a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel attends a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a Labor Day event in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Ann Arbor, attends a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, on Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Labor union members cheer during a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

The Harris-Walz campaign bus parked in front of Northwestern High School in Detroit on Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

North American Workers International Union President Brent Booker speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Labor union members cheer during a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat, speaks at a Labor Day event with Vice President Kamala Harris in Detroit, Michigan, September 2, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Stabenow noted that there are 63 days left until the general election.

“These choices should be clear: Vice President Kamala Harris stands with working people and supports unions, or a union-busting, selfish criminal named Donald Trump who plays nice but accomplishes nothing.”

Earlier in the day, hundreds gathered for the annual Labor Day parade along Michigan Avenue in Detroit. Speakers included Whitmer, Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron Bieber, United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.

“This Labor Day, we proudly stand together to say we are fed up and pissed off,” Fain said. “And when they tell us to shut up and sit down, we will respond by standing up, speaking out and taking action.”

Weingarten said Achievement Labor Day Parade, where she expressed concerns about the Republican Party’s efforts to “lie, manipulate and instill fear” among voters on issues such as immigration and public education.

“Instead of solving our problems the way America does, by rolling up our sleeves, solving problems and making life better for everyone, they divide and divide, creating fear, intolerance and division,” Weingarten said.

When Harris was running for president last cycle, one of her first stops in Michigan in May 2019 was teachers meeting at the town hall at the Marcus Garvey Academy in Detroit, where Weingarten also gave a speech.

Bieber said Achievement that its members are “passionate” and want to vote for Harris.

“They want to maintain the momentum that we have (with the Biden administration). This is a pro-union administration and continues to make progress for workers.”

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