Before you vote, learn the facts, and review the records.
Kamala Harris (D)
Worker Safety, Support and Benefits
| During the COVID-19 pandemic, Harris was a staunch defender of food workers. She joined UFCW President Marc Perrone in an op-ed calling for essential worker protections for frontline grocery and meat processing workers during the pandemic. [1] | Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13917 which forced slaughterhouses to stay during the pandemic. After the EO was issued, at least 59,000 meat processing workers contracted COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic, and at least 269 died. In 2022, the House Congressional Subcommittee on the Coronavirus crisis report concluded that Trump Administration officials collaborated with meatpacking management to minimize the threat and block public health measures which could have saved workers lives. [2] |
| Vice President Harris fought for the American Rescue Plan which provided UFCW members with $1,400 in direct cash payments, as well as money to state and local governments to provide hazard pay, covid testing, vaccines, childcare, and PPE for essential workers. | |
| Vice President Harris cast the tie breaking vote on the Emergency Pension Plan Relief Act, which protects the retirement benefits of workers and retirees in multiemployer pension plans. This assistance has benefited over 200,000 UFCW members and retirees. | |
| Vice President Harris supported the creation of the Farm and Food Workers Relief grant program which supports farmworkers and meat processing workers with direct financial support. |
Lower Costs for Working Families
| Vice President Harris supports lowering prescription drug prices and health care costs. Vice President Harris cast the tiebreaking vote for and was instrumental in rolling out the Inflation Reduction Act which capped the cost of insulin at $35 a month for seniors, made recommended vaccines free, and allowed Medicare to negotiate lower prices for drugs used to treat blood clots, cancers, arthritis, and diabetes. [3] During her 2020 presidential campaign, Harris released a plan to reduce prescription drug costs and as Senator introduced the FLAT Prices Act to help address unfair price hikes for prescription drugs. [4] | Trump signed The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law providing a permanent cut in the corporate income tax rate and a reduction in the tax rate for the richest households. The cuts for low- and moderate-income families were stingy and temporary. |
| Harris and Biden are targeting harmful corporate practices and cracking down on junk fees in airline tickets, banking, investment advice, health insurance, and apartment rentals and pushed banks to reduce overdraft and bounced check fees. They also proposed legislation to prevent “shrinkflation,” ensuring consumers are not paying more for less product. [5] | Trump tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and promised to do so again if re-elected. In 2017, he and Republicans tried to pass the American Health Care Act, which would have raised health insurance premiums, kicked millions off their health insurance, cut billions from Medicaid, and dismantled protections for people with pre-existing conditions. [12] |
| As Attorney General, Harris fought to recover over $900 million in missing pension funds that workers had earned. [6] | Trump supported the creation of short-term insurance plans that exclude pre-existing conditions and do not cover essential health benefits. |
| Vice President Harris has been at the forefront of the Administration efforts to make higher education more affordable which includes $127 billion in student debt cancellation for 3.6 million Americans. [7] | Trump is now considering another giant tax cut for corporations if he wins a second term. This would cost the country at least $3 trillion, and more than 60% of the benefits would go to the richest 20% of income earners. [13] |
| The Biden-Harris American Rescue Plan included billions of dollars in emergency rental assistance and public housing vouchers. They continued this rental assistance by placing a 10% rental increase cap on 2.6 million rental units, aiming to stop “rent gouging” by landlords. [8] The Renter’s Bill of Rights introduced by the Biden-Harris Administration includes a goal that no renter pays more than 30% of their annual income on housing. [9] | |
| “As Attorney General, Harris took on the five largest banks in America to win a $25 billion settlement for Californians whose homes had been illegally foreclosed on. This is on fact check page with these citations “Kamala Harris’ complicated history with Wall Street will come under scrutiny in the 2020 race.” [10] | |
| Vice President Harris supported the expansion of the Child Tax Credit, which gave fully refundable money directly to families in the American Rescue Plan. In the Senate, Harris cosponsored multiple bills to expand access to high-quality childcare for working families and assist with the cost of that care. [11] |
Protecting Workers and the Right to Organize
| Vice President Harris has been driving the Administration’s efforts to protect the freedom to vote and expand workers’ rights to organize and collectively bargain. [14] | Trump praised billionaire Elon Musk for firing workers who went on strike and says he prefers to hire non-union workers. |
| Vice President Harris chairs the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment which aims to promote worker power, worker organizing, and collective bargaining. [15] | Trump opposes collective-bargaining rights and likes laws that block workers from bargaining for fairer wages. He also said he would prefer to hire non-union workers. [18] |
| As Senator, Vice President Harris introduced legislation to extend overtime rights and guarantee new minimum wage rights to agricultural workers. [16] | The Trump Department of Labor overturned protections for tipped employees, allowing employers to skim worker tips. [19] |
| Vice President Harris is a vigorous advocate for workers’ freedom to form or join a union and strongly supports the PRO Act to reform broken labor law that stacks the deck against workers. | The Trump DOL withdrew guidance on independent contractor and joint employer status designed to prevent misclassification of workers. [20] |
| Under Harris and Biden, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to prevent the merger of Kroger and Albertsons. According to the FTC, the merger would endanger the “ability of employees to secure higher wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions.” [17] | The Trump DOL overturned the Obama era overtime rule, taking away overtime from over 2.8 million workers. [21] |
| Harris supports the Executive Orders banning unfair non-compete agreements that make it harder for workers to take new jobs in their industries. | The Trump DOL repealed an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) rule requiring employers to keep accurate injury records and withdrew an OSHA policy allowing workers to designate walkaround representatives to participate in OSHA inspections in non-union workplaces. [22] |
| The Trump NLRB changed the rules about when union organizers can access employers’ property; made it harder for union organizers to access cafeterias, snack bars, and other areas on employers’ property that are usually open to members of the public; supported companies when they fired workers for organizing; made it harder for unions to win elections by allowing employers to pick and choose groups of workers to be included in the unit; insisted on in person RC elections during the COVID-19 pandemic; refused to conduct electronic voting, and ruled in favor of employers time and time again. [23] | |
| Trump’s Executive Order 13771 required that for every new regulation or worker protection, two existing safeguards must be repealed. |
Creating Good-paying Union Jobs with Family Benefits
| Vice President Harris has repeatedly stood-up for unions, collective bargaining, and the dignity of work. Harris walked the picket line with the UAW at the GM facility near Reno, Nevada. [24] | Trump rescinded a federal rule designed to help narrow pay inequities based on race and gender. The rule required large companies to be more transparent about how much they pay workers of different genders and races and allowed federal investigations into complaints about pay disparities and discrimination. [26] |
| Vice President Harris supports the Made in America Office and the Buy American rule, ensuring that our taxpayer dollars support good jobs in the U.S. | |
| Vice President Harris supports widespread paid family and medical leave. Biden-Harris most recently pushed for 12 weeks of paid leave in his 2025 budget proposal and called on Congress to require employers to provide all workers seven job-protected paid sick days each year. [25] |
CHECK THE FACTS:
- “Why grocery store workers deserve hazard pay”, CNN, 8/6/2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/opinions/why-grocery-store-workers-deserve-hazard-pay-harris-perrone/index.html;”Essential Politics: Kamala Harris enters a supermarket — and a security bubble”, LA Times, 3/3/2021, https://www.latimes.com/politics/newsletter/2021-03-03/kamala-harris-supermarket-coronavirus-essential-politics;
- “House report: Trump officials, meat companies knew workers at risk”, Associated Press, 5/12/2022, https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2022/05/12/report–trump-officials–meat-companies-knew-workers-at-risk;”Trump Orders Meat Plants to Stay Open in Move Unions Slam”, Bloomberg, 4/29/2020, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-28/trump-says-he-s-issuing-order-for-tyson-s-unique-liability;
- “White House plan to negotiate drug prices could affect 165,000 Arizonans”, Tucson.com, 11/27/2023, https://tucson.com/news/state-regional/white-house-plan-to-negotiate-drug-prices-could-affect-165-000-arizonans/article_4d7fc6cd-44c8-5bf8-a19c-a9198f683351.html;
- “Kamala Harris’s plan to reduce prescription drug costs, explained”, Vox.com, 7/16/2019, https://www.vox.com/2019/7/16/20696192/kamala-harris-plan-prescription-drug-costs; “Harris, Colleagues Introduce New Bill To Prevent Large Drug Price Hikes”, EastCountyToday.net, 2/7/2019, https://eastcountytoday.net/harris-colleagues-introduce-new-bill-to-prevent-large-drug-price-hikes/#google_vignette;
- “Biden to launch joint FTC-DOJ task force to crack down on ‘unfair and illegal pricing’”, CNBC, 3/5/2024, https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/05/biden-to-launch-joint-ftc-doj-task-force-to-crack-down-on-unfair-and-illegal-pricing-.html;”White House announces ‘strike force’ on unfair and illegal prices ahead of State of the Union”, Politico, 3/5/2024, https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/05/white-house-announces-strike-force-on-unfair-and-illegal-prices-ahead-of-state-of-the-union-00144829;”Biden announces new actions slashing junk fees”, CNN, 10/11/2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/11/politics/junk-fees-ftc-cfpb-biden/index.html;”Biden administration would cap credit card late fees at $8, part of campaign against junk fees”, Associated Press, 3/5/2024, https://apnews.com/article/credit-card-junk-late-fees-consumer-financial-16e3dc606a5e62cf3da01868ec627bc2;”Biden administration wants to kill ‘junk’ fees in retirement investments and advice”, CNN, 10/31/2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/31/business/biden-administration-junk-fees/index.html;”‘Bobby’ Casey and shrinkflation get a shout-out during Biden’s SOTU”, Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 3/7/2024, https://penncapital-star.com/briefs/bobby-casey-and-shrinkflation-get-a-shout-out-during-bidens-sotu/;
- “California pensions, consumers get $800 million from Bank of America case”, SacBee.com, 10/7/2014, https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/article2607324.html;“CalPERS, CalSTRS get $324 million in securities settlement.” Sacramento Bee, 2/3/2015, https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article8990135.html;
- “Vice President Kamala Harris, in Philly, promotes student debt relief plan”, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/8/2024, https://www.inquirer.com/politics/election/kamala-harris-vp-student-debt-philadelphia-20240408.html;
- “20 Ways the American Rescue Plan Helps Working People”, AFL-CIO, 3/11/2021, https://aflcio.org/2021/3/11/20-ways-american-rescue-plan-helps-working-people;
“Here’s what tenants need to know about Biden’s plan to cap rent hikes for some affordable housing units”, CNBC, 4/3/2024, https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/03/bidens-plan-to-cap-rent-hikes-in-certain-units-heres-what-to-know.html;
“Biden targets ‘rent gouging’ landlords as high housing costs factor into 2024 race”, CNBC, 3/19/2024, https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/19/biden-targets-rent-gouging-landlords-as-high-housing-costs-2024-race.html; - “What Is the White House’s Renters Bill of Rights?”, U.S. News, 3/21/2024, https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/what-is-the-white-houses-renters-bill-of-rights;
- “Kamala Harris’ complicated history with Wall Street will come under scrutiny in the 2020 race”, CNBC, 1/26/2019. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/26/kamala-harris-has-complicated-history-with-wall-street.html;
“$18 Billion Earmarked For California Homeowners In Mortgage Settlement.” CBS News, 2/9/2012. https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/states-reach-25-billion-deal-with-banks-in-mortgage-settlement/;
- Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate, 10/18/2018;”HIRONO, MURRAY, INTRODUCE BILL TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE”, Mazie K. Hirono United States Senator, 9/15/2017, https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-murray-introduce-bill-to-increase-access-to-affordable-high-quality-child-care;”Kaine Introduces Pre-K Act To Expand Access To Early Childhood Education”, Tim Kaine United States Senator From Virginia, 1/29/2015, https://www.kaine.senate.gov/press-releases/kaine-introduces-pre-k-act-to-expand-access-to-early-childhood-education;”Kamala Harris vows to revive Biden’s defeated ‘care economy’ plans”, Washington Post, 7/24/2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/07/24/kamala-harris-care-economy-biden/;”20 Ways the American Rescue Plan Helps Working People”, AFL-CIO, 3/11/2021, https://aflcio.org/2021/3/11/20-ways-american-rescue-plan-helps-working-people;”Biden budget would cut taxes for millions and restore breaks for families. Here’s what to know.”, CBS News, 3/12/2024, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-budget-tax-child-tax-credit-ctc-eitc-who-qualifies/;
- “The Trump presidency is over, and Obamacare is still alive”, Vox, 1/19/2021, https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22238505/donald-trump-obamacare-joe-biden;”How the Senate’s Health-Care Bill Would Cause Financial Ruin for People With Preexisting Conditions”, The Atlantic, 6/23/2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/06/ahca-senate-bill-preexisting-conditions/531375/;”Trump says he will renew efforts to replace ‘Obamacare’ if he wins a second term”, Associated Press, 11/27/2023, https://apnews.com/article/trump-obamacare-health-care-biden-c2b1f5776310870deed2fb997b07fc2c;”Trump administration asks Supreme Court to strike down Obamacare”, Washington Post, 6/26/2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/06/26/trump-obamacare-supreme-court-brief/;”Number of Americans without health insurance jumped by more than 3 million under Trump”, CNBC, 1/16/2018, https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/americans-without-health-insurance-up-more-than-3-million-under-trump.html;
- “Behind closed doors, Trump eyes second round of corporate tax cuts”, Washington Post, 1/12/2024, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/12/trump-tax-cuts-2024/;
- “Biden task force releases report to strengthen labor unions”, AP, 2/7/2022, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-kamala-harris-labor-unions-5a0ff5316fc9f02b485cf832e25af952;
- “White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment Report”, The White House, 2/7/2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/07/white-house-task-force-on-worker-organizing-and-empowerment-report/;
- “Democrats Propose Overtime Pay For Farmworkers To Rectify Racial Injustice”, HuffPost.com, 6/25/2018, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-propose-overtime-pay-for-farm-workers-to-rectify-racial-injustice_n_5b2fd809e4b0321a01d26609?zi9=;
- “Harris announces final rules on minimum nursing home staffing standards”, PBS, 4/22/2024, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/harris-announces-final-rules-on-minimum-nursing-home-staffing-standards;”Biden administration sues to block Kroger-Albertsons supermarket merger”, NBC News, 2/26/2024; https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/kroger-albertsons-supermarket-merger-biden-administration-sues-block-rcna140523;”FTC Challenges Kroger’s Acquisition of Albertsons”, Federal Trade Commission, 2/26/2024, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/ftc-challenges-krogers-acquisition-albertsons;
- “Trump for Right to Work”, YouTube, @Democurmudgeon, 9/2/2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKmPOU9zK6g;”Donald Trump on “Right to Work” | Election 2016 | AFSCME Video”, YouTube, @afscme, 9/6/2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lZ8qZx6XNE;”Trump: ‘I like right-to-work better’”, Washington Examiner, 2/23/2016, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/1348878/trump-i-like-right-to-work-better/;”Donald Trump Fields Questions on Jobs in Iowa”, New York Times, 11/20/2015, https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/20/donald-trump-fields-questions-on-jobs-in-iowa/;
- “UAW Statement on President Biden’s Candidacy”, X, 7/21/2024, https://x.com/UAW/status/1815109796619604349;
- “What’s in — and what’s out of — Biden’s latest spending proposal”, Vox, 10/28/2021, https://www.vox.com/2021/10/28/22748554/biden-budget-build-back-better-democrats-child-care-taxes;”President Biden New Budget Proposes National Paid Leave Program”, SHRM, 3/12/2024, https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/benefits-compensation/biden-2025-budget-paid-family-medical-leave;
- “Trump Halted Obama’s Equal Pay Rule. What it Means for Working Women”, NBC News, 8/31/2017, ;
- “NELP Blasts Trump DOL’s Proposed Rule Allowing Tip Theft”, NELP, 12/4/2017, https://www.nelp.org/nelp-responds-to-tip-credit-rule/;
- “DOL Endorses Independent Contractor Status in the Gig Economy”, Epstein Becker Green, 5/3/2019, https://www.wagehourblog.com/dol-endorses-independent-contractor-status-in-the-gig-economy0;
- “Trump Administration’s Overtime Rule Is a Setback for Working People”, AFL-CIO, 3/8/2019, https://aflcio.org/press/releases/trump-administrations-overtime-rule-setback-working-people;
- “Tracking regulatory changes in the Biden era”, Brookings.edu, 8/9/2024, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/tracking-regulatory-changes-in-the-biden-era/;
- “Democrats, unions redouble push to move NLRB elections online”, Politico, 7/16/2020, https://www.politico.com/news/2020/07/16/democrats-nlrb-union-elections-afl-cio-366792;