United States Vice President Kamala Harris addressed the American Federation of Teachers convention in Houston, Texas, on Thursday, emphasizing her support for labor unions and her vision for the future of America.
“When unions are strong, America is strong,” Harris said, adding that “Donald Trump and his extreme allies want to take our nation back to failed trickle-down economic policies, back to union-busting, back to tax breaks for billionaires.”
Harris criticized Project 2025, a right-wing think tank’s blueprint for a future Trump administration, calling it a “plan to return America to a dark past.” She noted that the plan even proposes eliminating the Department of Education.
Harris thanked educators for their public service, including her first-grade teacher, Mrs. Frances Wilson.
“It is because of Mrs. Wilson, and so many teachers like her, that I stand before you as vice-president of the United States of America and now am running to become president of the United States,” she said.
Harris outlined her vision for the future, where “every person has the opportunity not just to get by, but to get ahead. A future where no child has to grow up in poverty, where every senior can retire with dignity and where every worker has the freedom to join a union.”
She emphasized the importance of giving workers a voice and protecting their freedom to organize and collectively bargain.
“President Joe Biden and I promised to sign the Pro Act into law, and I promise you I will keep that promise,” Harris said.
Harris also highlighted her support for the LGBTQ+ community and criticized “don’t say gay” legislation that has been passed or proposed by conservatives.
Ultimately, Harris asked the audience, “What kind of country do we want to live in? A country of freedom, compassion, and rule of law, or a country of chaos, fear, and hate?”
AFT President Randi Weingarten called on the union’s 1.7 million members to rally behind Harris, citing her leadership in the fight for freedom and union rights. The AFL-CIO, the largest federation of labor unions in the US, has also endorsed Harris’s presidential bid.