Walz makes pitch to union voters at Milwaukee Labor Day festival

Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz made his pitch to union voters Monday during a Labor Day festival in Milwaukee.

Walz, the Democratic governor of Minnesota, joked about “preaching to the choir” during the event which is sponsored each year by the Milwaukee-Area Labor Council and the AFL-CIO.

“We got about 64 days to sing, choir,” Walz told the crowd gathered at the Henry Maier Festival Grounds just over two months ahead of Election Day. “We got 64 days to get to our relatives, to talk to them, to tell them what’s out there.”

Walz highlights past as unionized public school teacher

Walz highlighted his past as a public school teacher, who also helped coach high school football.

“And what goes with making a career out of teaching and coaching is I was a dues-paying member of my union,” Walz said. “I always feel like maybe we should elect a few more dues-paying members to elected positions. So start thinking about it, folks. Start thinking about running.”

If Republican Donald Trump wins another term, Walz warned the crowd that the former president would “screw working people” while giving tax cuts to people who are “rich as hell.”

Harris campaign pledges to strengthen collective bargaining, weaken right-to-work laws

But if Vice President Kamala Harris wins on Nov. 5, Walz promised that his running mate would back federal legislation known as the PRO Act to strengthen collective bargaining rights and weaken what’s known as right-to work laws.

In more than half of states, those laws allow employees to opt out of union dues even in unionized workplaces.

“Everybody here today knows what right-to-work really means,” Walz said Monday. “It means the right to work for less money. It means the right to work in dangerous situations. It means the right to work with no pensions.”

Wisconsin became a right-to-work state in 2015. That change came on the heels of former Republican Gov. Scott Walker signing sweeping legislation known as Act 10 in 2011, which curtailed the collective bargaining rights of many public-sector workers in Wisconsin, including teachers.

Cindie Palomo of Iola, Wisconsin, traveled to the festival to hear Walz’s remarks. She said overturning Act 10 is one of her top political priorities.

Palomo serves as a union representative for her local United Food and Commercial Workers chapter, and she said she’s seen firsthand how right-to-work policies hurt workers.

“It makes a strain for the other members who are actively assisting us being a part of the union when we have the members that are not helping (to pay dues) but taking the benefits,” Palomo said. “It really weakens us. We need numbers. We need that majority to help overturn the rules (and) policies that companies enforce on us.”

Another attendee, Colleen Czajka, sported an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers T-shirt. She cheered for Walz and other speakers, including Wisconsin’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is seeking another term.

Czajka said her husband’s belonged to the IBEW for 50 years, and she said she’s experienced the benefits of being part of a union family.

“Besides it being a beautiful day, (there’s) no better reason to be out here than to listen to some motivational speakers and to celebrate the fact that unions seem to be alive and very strong in Wisconsin,” Czajka said.

In a statement ahead of Walz’s Milwaukee appearance, Wisconsin GOP Chair Brian Schimming said Trump helped blue-collar families as president by keeping inflation low, and by using trade deals to protect American workers.

“Tim Walz and Kamala Harris have nothing to offer workers but another term of higher costs and lower wages,” the statement said.

Injuries reported after crash involving vans carrying press, campaign staff

While driving behind Walz’s motorcade to the event, several vans carrying journalists and members of Walz’s staff were involved in a crash shortly before 1 p.m. on Monday.

Some passengers suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, according the U.S. Secret Service. At least one person was transported to Froedtert Hospital with a broken arm, according to reporters who were traveling with the motorcade.

The vehicle carrying Walz was not involved in the collision, which is being investigated by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

“I’m relieved to say that with a few minor injuries, everybody’s going to be okay,” Walz told the crowd. “President Biden and Vice President Harris called to check in, and we certainly appreciate their concern. And I want to express my sincere thanks to the U.S. Secret Service and all the local first responders for their quick reaction to help.”

The presidential campaigns will continue to court voters in swing-state Wisconsin through the rest of the holiday week. President Joe Biden is set to campaign for Harris in southwestern Wisconsin Thursday and former Republican president Donald Trump has a rally planned in Mosinee on Saturday.