Monday 3 September was Labor Day in the US; a national public holiday observed in recognition of the contributions of the country’s workers. President Donald Trump lauded his administration’s ‘achievements’ in helping the nation’s millions of working families. But senator Bernie Sanders and other progressives were quick to call him out for his hypocrisy and disingenuous posturing.
Lauding his own record
In a ‘Labor Day Proclamation’, Trump described workers as the “bulwark of our national prosperity”. In an unusual move for a Republican, he also paid tribute to labor unions for “advocating for the interests of the American worker and wage-earner”. He cited tax cuts, deregulation, renegotiating trade agreements, and strict anti-immigration policies as “historic action to advance prosperity for the American worker”. In a reference to statistics showing decreasing unemployment and increasing labor force participation, the statement added:
