MILWAUKEE — Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz delivered remarks to union members of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO, addressing the key Democratic voting bloc Monday at the city’s annual Laborfest celebration.
As a former union member, Walz spent two terms as Minnesota’s governor focusing on unions, strengthening protections and ensuring paid leave for workers while also limiting union-busting. During the event, he contrasted his platform with that of former President Donald Trump, whose administration blocked overtime pay for workers with 40-hour work weeks or under.
“If people put in an honest day’s work, they should receive an honest day’s income,” Walz said.
“[Trump] is a guy who supports so-called ‘right to work’ laws that deprive unions of the funds they need. ‘Right to work’ means less money, dangerous situations and no pension.”
Walz emphasized Vice President Kamala Harris’ history as California’s attorney general, where she sued banks for mismanaging pension funds and redelivered the money back into people’s pension funds. Under the Biden administration, Walz noted Harris was the deciding vote on the pandemic-era American Rescue Plan Act, which provided stimulus checks to working people and extended unemployment benefits.
“It was Vice President Harris and President Biden that protected over 1 million workers' pensions and retirements,” Walz said. “When we win this election, we’ll have your back just like you have our back.”
Walz said a Harris-Walz administration would sign into law the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would expand labor protections for unions and make it easier to collectively bargain. He also touted the ticket’s commitment to paid family and medical leave, gun control and abortion access.
“If you want [politics] in your exam room, bedroom and labor hall, then step back,” Walz told the crowd. “But if you want to make sure that we have a government that serves the people, whether it's labor and middle class rights or having corporations pay their fair share, we need you on the team.”
The visit marked Walz’s first time back to Wisconsin since receiving the Democratic vice presidential nomination. Walz last visited the crucial swing state on Aug. 20 when he joined Harris at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee for a campaign rally held congruent with prime time programming for the Democratic National Convention.
Clara Strecker is a copy chief for The Daily Cardinal. She also covers state news.
Sreejita Patra is a senior staff writer and the former summer ad sales manager for The Daily Cardinal. She has written for breaking news, campus news and arts and has done extensive reporting on the 2024 presidential race. She also covered the Oregon Village Board for the Oregon Observer.
