Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the union stronghold of Flint, Michigan, Friday as she battles with Donald Trump for working-class voters who could tip the scales in this year's election.
Her appearance in the battleground state comes the day after U.S. dockworkers suspended their strike in hopes of reaching a new contract, sparing the country a damaging episode of labor unrest that could have rattled the economy. A tentative agreement was reached to raise salaries, although other issues still need to be resolved.
Harris issued a statement saying the development “indicates progress toward a strong contract and represents the power of collective bargaining.” She added that “dockworkers deserve a fair share for their hard work getting essential goods out to communities across America.”
Unions have long been a bedrock of support for Democrats, but Harris has failed to secure some key endorsements. The International Association of Fire Fighters announced this week that it wouldn't back a candidate this year, following a similar announcement from the Teamsters. Both unions endorsed Joe Biden four years ago.
It's not a total cold shoulder for Harris. Some Teamsters locals are supporting her, and she won quick endorsements from national teachers unions, the building trades, the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers after replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.
But the divide within the labor community is a reminder of shifting loyalties in American politics. Democrats have increased their support among white-collar professionals while Republicans try to make inroads among voters who didn’t attend college.
During a rally in Michigan on Thursday, Trump claimed that Republicans are now “the party of the American worker.” In a reference to labor unrest at the country’s ports, Trump said, “Under my leadership Americans won’t have to go on strike for a better wage or a better life.”
Trump is heading to Georgia on Friday to appear with Gov. Brian Kemp, the latest sign that he's patched up his rocky relationship with the top Republican in a key battleground state. Later in the day, he’s holding a campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Union voters have traditionally leaned toward Democrats, with 56% supporting Biden in 2020. But Trump has pushed hard to win over blue-collar workers traditionally represented by some of the biggest unions. He won 62% of white voters without college degrees — though only 24% of non-white voters without college degrees — in 2020.
Labor relations could have been a dominant issue in the closing weeks of the presidential campaign if the dockworkers strike continued, leading to snarled ports and shortages on store shelves.
Biden expressed satisfaction that a deal was being worked out.
“We’ve been working hard on it," he said at the White House. "With the grace of God, and the goodwill of neighbors, it’s gonna hold.”