Vice President He Jinli will visit a union hub in Flint, Michigan on Friday (October 4) to compete with former President Donald Trump for blue-collar voters, who could sway the outcome of this year’s election.
Her appearance in this crucial state comes a day after American dock workers suspended their strike in hopes of reaching a new contract to prevent disruptive labor unrest that could impact the economy. While other issues still need to be resolved, both sides have reached a temporary agreement on the issue of pay raises.
He Jinli stated that the temporary agreement reached signifies progress in achieving a strong contract and demonstrates the power of collective negotiations. She added, “Dock workers work hard to transport essential goods across the country and deserve fair compensation.”
If the dock workers’ strike were to continue, leading to port congestion and shortages in stores, labor relations could become a major issue in the final weeks of the presidential campaign.
President Biden expressed satisfaction with the agreement, stating from the White House, “We have been working hard, and with God’s grace and the goodwill of our neighbors, the agreement will be upheld.”
Traditionally, unions have been an important supporting force for the Democratic Party, but He Jinli has struggled to garner some key support. The International Association of Fire Fighters announced this week that following a similar statement by the Teamsters union, they will not be supporting any candidate this year. Four years ago, both unions supported Joe Biden.
However, He Jinli has not been completely shunned. After replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee, she quickly gained support from local chapters of some truck driver unions, as well as endorsements from the National Education Association, the construction industry, the AFL-CIO, and the United Auto Workers.
However, internal divisions within labor groups serve as a reminder that loyalty in American politics is shifting, with an increase in support for the Democratic Party among white-collar professionals and progress made by the Republican Party among non-college-educated voters.
On Thursday, Trump declared at a rally in Michigan that the Republican Party is now “the party of American workers.” Referring to labor unrest at American ports, he said, “Under my leadership, Americans do not have to strike for higher wages or a better life.”
Trump will head to Georgia on Friday alongside Governor Brian Kemp, indicating that he has repaired relations with top Republicans in this crucial battleground state. Later in the day, he will hold a campaign event in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Despite union voters traditionally leaning towards the Democratic Party, with 56% supporting Biden in 2020, Trump has been working to win over blue-collar workers traditionally represented by some of the largest unions. In 2020, he won support from 62% of white voters without a college degree, although only 24% of non-white voters without a college degree supported him.
This has left Democrats frustrated, highlighting the White House’s staunch support for unions, with President Biden even joining the picket line of the United Auto Workers last year.
(Reference: Associated Press)