ICYMI: President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh Meet with Grassroots Worker Organizers

Yesterday, Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held a roundtable discussion with a diverse group of young, grassroots worker organizers to discuss their extraordinary efforts to organize unions in their workplaces, and how their efforts can inspire workers across the country to make the choice to join or organize a union. President Joe Biden stopped by the discussion and thanked the worker organizers for their leadership in organizing unions, the inspiration they offer to workers across the country who may want to organize, and their contributions to the worker organizing momentum that is growing across the country.

Vice President Harris chairs the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, and Secretary Walsh serves as vice-chair.

Read more below:

New York Times: Biden and Harris meet with labor organizers from Amazon and Starbucks
[Noam Scheiber, 5/5/22]

A high-profile White House event focused primarily on rank-and-file union members and grassroots organizers is unusual for a president of either party. But a task force on worker organizing led by Ms. Harris, which officially organized Thursday's meeting, has met with workers outside the White House on several occasions, and rank-and-file union members have attended White House events under Mr. Biden. There have also been White House meetings with labor leaders and senior labor officials.

Business Insider: Biden, Harris, and Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh meet with unionizing Amazon and Starbucks workers at the White House: 'These folks are inspiring a movement'
[Juliana Kaplan, 5/5/22]

Union organizers from around the country — including Christian Smalls of the Amazon Labor Union — met with the president, vice president, and secretary of labor on Thursday.
In a tweet, President Joe Biden said, "From the Amazon Labor Union to IATSE at Titmouse Productions, these folks are inspiring a movement of workers across the country to fight for the pay and benefits they deserve."

BET: Amazon Union President Chris Smalls Blasts Unfair Labor Practices
[Jamila Bey, 5/5/22]

Vice President Kamala Harris hosted Smalls and other organizers at the White House on Thursday. Amazon, Starbucks and other pro-union workers were there to discuss "their extraordinary efforts to organize unions in their workplaces." Reuters reported.

"We're here today to inspire," Smalls said, according to a White House spokesperson. "To send the message to workers around the country that it's possible to stand up for your rights. We can do it together and I look forward to continuing discussions with the Biden-Harris Administration."

Reuters: Biden meets with labor organizer at Amazon after Senate hearing
[David Shepardson and Nandita Bose, 5/5/22]

[…] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted a White House meeting with Smalls and labor leaders on Thursday seeking to represent workers at Amazon, Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) and other employers.

Axios: Biden meets with Amazon Labor Union leader at White House
[Herb Scribner, 5/5/22]

President Joe Biden on Thursday met with Christian Smalls, the president of the Amazon Labor Union, along with other grassroots worker organizers at the White House. […]

Details: Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held a roundtable discussion with the organizers.

The group was there to discuss their efforts to organize unions in their workplaces and how these efforts "can inspire workers across the country to make the choice to join or organize a union," the White House said in a statement.

Blavity: Biden Meets With Former Amazon Employee Fired After Demanding Company Enforce COVID-19 Safety Protocols
[Tomas Kassahun, 5/6/22]

Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held a roundtable discussion with a group of grassroots worker organizers on Thursday to discuss their efforts to organize unions in their workplaces. Chris Smalls, the former Amazon employee who said he was fired after he staged a protest against the company, was among those who met with the White House officials.

The Hill: Biden, Harris meet with Amazon and Starbucks organizers
[Alex Gangitano, 5/5/22]

President Biden and Vice President Harris met with worker organizers, including Amazon Labor Union (ALU) President Christian Smalls, on Thursday at the White House to support their leadership in organizing unions.

The president stopped by a roundtable discussion hosted by Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh that also included grassroots organizers from Starbucks/Service Employees International Union.

Spectrum News: Biden meets labor organizers as Amazon union fight takes center stage in Washington
[Austin Landis, 5/5/22]

[...] Biden dropped by a meeting Thursday that Harris and task force co-chair Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held with union organizers at the White House, which included Christian Smalls, the leader of the first successful effort to unionize at an Amazon warehouse last month.

[…] Walsh and Harris on Thursday listened to union leaders from a range of industries about why they organized and how they did it, including the benefits like health care and wages they're calling for, according to a White House readout of the meeting.

AP: Amazon union head, others meet at White House on organizing
[Will Weissert and Haleluya Hadero, 5/5/22]

Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh met with union organizers at the White House on Thursday as the administration looks to boost unionization campaigns.

Participants in the meeting, which featured an unscheduled appearance by President Joe Biden, discussed organizers' efforts to form unions in their workplaces, and how those could prompt workers around the country to mount similar organization campaigns, according to a readout from the White House. Biden thanked them for bolstering organizing momentum that is growing nationally.

Revolt: Chris Smalls checks Sen. Lindsey Graham while rocking NY fitted and grillz
[Shanique Yates, 5/5/22]

Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh also met with Smalls during his trip to Washington D.C. as he continues to advocate for Amazon workers across the nation.

Polygon: Game company union reps take their case to the White House
[Charlie Hall, 5/5/22]

The fight to unionize the games industry made it all the way to the White House on Thursday. That's where Alex Speidel, one of the lead organizers from the United Paizo Workers met with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and secretary of labor Marty Walsh inside the Oval Office. The meeting was confirmed with an official photo on the President's Twitter account.

Independent (UK): 'He said I got him in trouble': Biden meets Amazon union leader at White House meeting on 'extraordinary' organising efforts
[Alex Woodward, 5/5/22]

President Joe Biden met with Amazon Labor Union president Christian Smalls, Starbucks union organisers and other union workers during a task force meeting with labor officials to discuss their "extraordinary efforts to organize unions in their workplaces," according to a White House description of the meeting.

Bloomberg: Biden Meets Amazon Union Organizer in Latest Jab at Retailer
[Josh Wingrove and Spencer Soper, 5/5/22]

President Joe Biden met with a group of labor organizers Thursday at the White House, including a former Amazon.com Inc. worker who led a Staten Island union-organizing drive.

Christian Smalls, the Amazon organizer, took part in a roundtable session hosted by Vice President Kamala Harris and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh. The session included young organizers and workers at a range of companies.