PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden, widely regarded as the most pro-union president in history, delivered a powerful speech on Labor Day in Philadelphia, emphasizing the significance of organized labor and commending American workers for their contributions to the economy.
Discussing the ongoing recovery from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Biden highlighted his administration’s efforts in funding infrastructure improvements while acknowledging the crucial role unions play in building a strong middle class.
With the Republican primary season intensifying, President Biden aims to regain support from working-class voters who shifted their allegiance to former President Donald Trump and others due to cultural concerns. During his speech, he referred to Trump as “the last guy” and drew a parallel between Trump’s job creation record and that of President Herbert Hoover, who presided over the Great Depression and faced a resounding defeat by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Addressing Trump’s job performance, President Biden stated, “He left office with fewer jobs in America than when he got elected into office.”
Speaking to a diverse crowd of union members from various industries, ranging from steelworkers to stage hands, President Biden emphasized the positive impact of his administration’s policies on working people.
“This Labor Day, we celebrate jobs—good-paying jobs that provide the ability to support a family. We celebrate union jobs,” declared President Biden, eschewing the podium and instead opting to walk around the stage adorned with “UNION STRONG” signs, holding the microphone in his hand.
Labor Day, a holiday dedicated to honoring workers, is marked by the growing influence of U.S. unions across various sectors and the possibility of a strike by 146,000 United Auto Workers union members. When asked about the likelihood of a strike, President Biden expressed doubt, which drew a swift response from UAW’s President Shawn Fain, who expressed surprise and claimed that the president might possess undisclosed information.
Fain stated, “I believe we still have a long way to go. All three parties are required to reach an agreement by September 14. That’s the deadline, and if they fail to meet it, there will be consequences.”
The union’s demands include salary increases, shorter workweeks, and the restoration of traditional pensions. While Ford’s economic offer fell significantly short of union expectations, General Motors and Stellantis have yet to respond to the union’s economic proposals. The union has filed unfair labor practice charges against GM and Stellantis, accusations that both companies have denied. Fain emphasized that the union’s objective is not to strike, but rather to secure a fair agreement.
Labor Day coincided with positive news of job growth, as more individuals began searching for employment, marking the highest number since January. President Biden is eager to highlight these developments as he prepares for his re-election campaign in 2024.
However, President Biden still faces the task of convincing voters that his policies are positively impacting their lives. According to an August poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, only 36% of U.S. adults approve of his handling of the economy, slightly lower than the 42% who approve of his overall performance.
President Biden delivered his Labor Day speech shortly after the announcement that American employers added 187,000 jobs in August, signifying a resilient labor market despite the Federal Reserve’s imposition of high interest rates. The report from the Labor Department also revealed an increase in the unemployment rate from 3.5% to 3.8%, the highest level since February 2022, but this rise was driven by an encouraging factor: 736,000 individuals actively seeking employment, the most since January, although not all of them immediately secured jobs.
The President consistently stressed the importance of middle-class workers in the economy, emphasizing that when the middle class thrives, everyone benefits.
In Philadelphia, at the Tri-State Labor Day event, hundreds of union workers, sporting their local T-shirts, eagerly awaited the President’s speech on a warm and humid morning. Lenny Nutter, a Philadelphia resident donning a yellow Laborers International Union shirt, expressed his support for President Biden, noting that unions have become more active in recent times, partly due to the President’s policies. Nutter remarked, “Unions are gaining members, and union workers are receiving more job opportunities.”
President Biden has taken decisive executive actions to promote worker organizing, publicly endorsing unionization efforts at major corporations like Amazon, and authorizing federal funding to aid union members’ pensions. Just last week, his administration proposed a new rule that would extend overtime pay eligibility to an additional 3.6 million U.S. workers, representing the most substantial increase in decades.
Speaking about this development, President Biden told the crowd, “Now, you will receive overtime pay.”
Additionally, President Biden has traversed the country, highlighting how union labor is contributing to infrastructure projects such as bridge construction and train tunnel improvements under the bipartisan $1.1 trillion public works package passed by Congress in 2021.
The Philadelphia AFL-CIO hosts the 36th annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade and Family Celebration, representing over 100 local labor unions with a collective membership of more than 150,000 workers.
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