According to the Associated Press, the country’s largest hospitality worker union UNITE HERE has just endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Gwen Mills, the president of the union who discussed the endorsement with the AP before making the official announcement, believed that “Harris has credibility from having supported unions,” while Trump’s recent comments about excluding tips from federal income taxes for hospitality workers weren’t genuine — and that he was simply “making a play” for votes.
At a June 9 rally in Nevada, Trump said: “To those hotel workers and people who get tips, you are going to be very happy, because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips, people making tips.” Conversely, as AP’s Josh Boak reported, the Biden Administration has “countered that tipped workers would be better off with a higher minimum wage.” It’s thought that Harris will embrace many of Biden’s existing economic proposals and, since announcing her plans to run for president, “swiftly consolidated what can be a fractious Democratic coalition, including lining up support from labor unions” such as the AFL-Cio, United Auto Workers and of course, UNITE HERE.
Reportedly, the endorsement includes a commitment by the union to have its members knock on more than 3.3 million doors for Harris in swing states. Harris also spoke at UNITE HERE’s Constitutional Convention back in June.