Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Madison on Wednesday to amplify the Biden administration’s labor union initiatives and announce a new executive order expanding federal apprenticeship programs ahead of the 2024 election.
Harris is slated to speak at the construction site of the future Metro Transit Satellite Bus Facility on Madison’s east side. Harris, chair of the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, was joined by acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su.
The Biden administration has made numerous campaign visits to Wisconsin in the past year as the state is expected to play a crucial role in the upcoming presidential election. This is Harris’ sixth trip to Wisconsin since being sworn in as Vice President.
Harris’ last visited the state in January, when she spoke at a union headquarters in Big Bend to kick off her nationwide “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour. She also visited southeastern Wisconsin in August 2023 to tout broadband expansion and domestic job creation efforts.
Harris is slated to announce a new executive order in remarks Wednesday that will help create more registered apprenticeship programs in the federal workforce, according to the White House. Registered apprenticeship programs are industry-led career pathways where “employers can develop and prepare their future workforce,” according to Apprenticeship USA.
Additionally, the executive order directs federal agencies preference groups that hire individuals who participated in Registered Apprenticeship programs when awarding contracts or projects funded by federal grants.
The order also reestablishes federal labor management forums, a tool used by union members and management to jointly address workplace concerns.
Marin Rosen is the City News Editor at The Daily Cardinal and a second-year journalism student. Throughout her time at the Cardinal, she's written articles for city and state news. Follow her on Twitter at @marin_rosen
Anna Kleiber is an arts editor for The Daily Cardinal. She also reports on state politics and campus news. Follow her on Twitter at @annakleiber03.
