Hospitality workers union is going all out for the Harris Walz ticket, running the largest independent door-to-door operation in the critical battleground state of P

B-roll of canvassers in the field >> / Photos of canvassers in the field >>

PHILADELPHIA — With seven days left until Election Day, UNITE HERE, the hospitality workers’ union, has surpassed a key milestone: more than one million doors knocked in Pennsylvania. The union’s efforts are focused on key counties where turnout is most likely to determine the winner of Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes: Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Chester and Dauphin Counties. The union’s 200+ canvassers have been hitting the doors since July and have talked to over 130,000 voters; it is the largest independent door knocking operation in the state.

The campaign is primarily driven by UNITE HERE union members who have taken leaves of absence from their jobs as hotel housekeepers, cooks, and other hospitality industry workers to talk to their neighbors and community members about the stakes of this election. The union is focused on engaging with voters in Black and Brown working class communities with an eye toward mobilizing those who are least likely to vote this election.

The voters who are still undecided at this point in the race are not centrists, but rather people who are deeply skeptical and distrustful of politicians. These voters are not torn between Trump and Harris, they are unsure whether to cast a ballot at all.

The union has found that the number one issue—identified as a top concern by 30% of voters on the doors—is gun violence and community safety. While the rate of violent crime is now declining, Philadelphians just lived through a historic wave of gun violence which left thousands traumatized, injured or dead. The premise of UNITE HERE’s campaign is that these voters need to hear from someone who faces similar challenges in their own life and has made the decision to participate in the democratic process despite those challenges.

Hundreds of UNITE HERE canvassers will be gathering to launch daily canvasses in different parts of Philadelphia from through election day. Union members will also be knocking doors in the collar counties and Harrisburg, PA. The press is welcome to join a canvass launch, shadow canvassers and/or interview union members working to get out the vote. Please reach out to coordinate.

###

UNITE HERE Philly is a union of hospitality, casino, airport, stadium and school cafeteria food service workers, who are mostly women and People of Color. We cook, clean, and serve in stadiums, airports, hotels, and casinos. We feed Philly’s schoolchildren and keep them safe. We’re fighting to end poverty-creating jobs and to ensure that Black, Brown, immigrant, and women workers aren’t left out of Philadelphia’s economy.