US elections: Kamala Harris pitches to union workers at Labour Day rally

“US Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated,” she added.

 

The US holiday of Labor Day marks the start of the vital post-summer sprint to the Nov. 5 election. Both Harris and her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, are expected to ramp up outreach to voters, especially in battleground states which could prove decisive such as Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada.

 

Trump stayed off the campaign trail on Monday, while Harris held events in Detroit and Pittsburgh, where she used her remarks to underscore support for steel workers.

 

Harris’ position on US Steel Corp mirrors that of Biden, who said in March that the company, which has agreed to be bought by Japan’s Nippon Steel for $14.9 billion, must remain a domestically owned American firm.

 

Trump in February had signaled he would move to block the deal, a potential merger that has stirred anxiety among some unionized workers, a key voting bloc in Pennsylvania and the other “Rust Belt” swing states likely to determine the results of the election. Last month, Trump said he would halt the deal.

 

Developments in the Middle East over talks on a deal to reach a Gaza ceasefire and release hostages cast a shadow on the event on Monday.

 

Over the weekend, Israel recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in Gaza where it said they were recently killed by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, sparking sharp criticism of the Biden administration’s ceasefire strategy and new pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the remaining hostages home.

 

Biden told reporters earlier on Monday he did not think Netanyahu was doing enough to secure a hostage deal.

 

The war is weighing on the US election, with pro-Palestinian activists threatening to ramp up protests against Harris on the campaign trail. Thousands of pro-Palestinian activists opposing US support for Israel’s war in Gaza held a protest in New York City on Monday.

 

Biden and Harris met with the US hostage negotiation team on Monday and discussed the next steps in efforts to free the remaining captives, the White House said.

 

Some 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct. 7 and around 250 were taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

 

Health authorities in Gaza say more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli assault on the enclave since that has also displaced nearly its entire 2.3 million population, caused a hunger crisis and led to genocide allegations at the World Court that Israel denies.

 

Post-Labor day sprint

 

Trump will participate in a FOX town hall on Wednesday hosted by Sean Hannity and later this week will address the Fraternal Order of Police at their fall meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, and hold a rally in Wisconsin.

 

Harris and Walz are hoping to keep up the enthusiasm her entry into the race has sparked among Democrats, who are donating record amounts of money to the campaign and volunteering by the tens of thousands.

 

The Harris campaign has focused on an upbeat, positive message about America’s future, cost-cutting plans aimed at the middle class and attracting Republicans turned off by Trump.

 

First Published: Sep 03 2024 | 7:32 AM IST