He said Harris honors the truth that unions built America’s middle class. He touted his own pro-worker record in Minnesota and blasted Donald Trump and JD Vance for siding with billionaires at the expense of working people.
And he warned that Project 2025, a roadmap for a second Trump term cooked up by MAGA extremists, would devastate working people and eliminate public-service unions like AFSCME.
In contrast, Walz said, he and Harris are committed to signing into law two bills that are top AFSCME priorities — the PRO (Protecting the Right to Organize) Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.
“We’ll stand up for collective bargaining. We’ll make corporations finally pay their fair share and lower taxes for working families,” Walz said. “We’ll protect Social Security and Medicare, fight for paid family leave and affordable child care [and] invest in public schools.”
While the Harris-Walz ticket may provide hope for a better future, hope alone won’t be enough to secure victory in November, Walz said, turning to AFSCME members for help.
“How many voters do you think you could turn out in an hour? How many friends can you bring to a phone bank?” Walz asked. “What if everyone here did one extra volunteer shift and brought one extra person along with them? How many voters could we reach? That’s how it happens, AFSCME. That’s the plan. That’s how our hope becomes our reality.”
AFSCME President Lee Saunders introduced Walz — a former union member, high school teacher and football coach — as his friend and an honest man who genuinely cares about working people.
“Tim is more than an ally,” said Saunders. “He understands us because he is one of us — a union brother who spent years as a public service worker in his community. He embodies the very best of public service — leading with empathy, looking after everyone, and leaving behind no one. ... He’s a stand-up guy, absolute salt of the earth. And come next January, he will bring his decency and common sense to the White House.”
As governor, Walz protected AFSCME jobs in the state while investing in public services. He signed legislation that banned private prisons and provided free meals to schoolchildren — something that has made it easier for AFSCME school employees to keep their students engaged. On his watch, AFSCME members who work for the state of Minnesota secured a historic contract with across-the-board raises and expanded freedoms on the job.
AFSCME’s International Executive Board unanimously endorsed Harris on July 22, one day after President Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and endorsed Harris.
AFSCME members will be out in full force in their communities to support the Harris-Walz ticket, mobilizing and turning out the vote in key battleground states.
