President Joe Biden, often touting his stance as the most pro-union president in U.S. history, is scheduled to participate in Philadelphia’s annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade on Monday. During his appearance, the Democratic president is expected to underscore the pivotal role of unions in the United States and discuss the ongoing economic recovery following the severe challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Labor Day, a holiday dedicated to honoring workers, arrives as the United States witnesses job growth, with more individuals reentering the job market—an encouraging trend that President Biden is eager to emphasize as he eyes reelection in 2024.

In his remarks from the Rose Garden on Friday, Biden reflected on the nation’s current economic landscape, stating, “As we head into Labor Day, we ought to take a step back and take note of the fact that America is now in one of the strongest job-creating periods in our history.” His comments followed the release of a Labor Department report indicating that American employers added 187,000 jobs in August. While this suggests a slowing labor market, it remains resilient in the face of the Federal Reserve’s high-interest rates.

The report also revealed a rise in the unemployment rate from 3.5% to 3.8%, the highest level since February 2022. However, this increase stemmed from a positive development: 736,000 individuals reentered the job market last month, marking the most substantial influx since January. Notably, not all of them secured employment immediately, as only those actively seeking jobs are counted as unemployed.

Biden stressed the significance of this labor market trend, stating, “People are coming off the sidelines, getting back to their workplaces.”

Throughout his presidency, Biden has taken executive actions to promote worker organizing, expressed support for unionization efforts at major corporations such as Amazon, and authorized federal funding to bolster union members’ pensions. In a recent move, his administration proposed a new rule that could extend overtime pay eligibility to an additional 3.6 million U.S. workers, marking one of the most generous increases in decades.

The president has also embarked on a nationwide tour to highlight the role of union labor in critical infrastructure projects. This comes as part of the bipartisan $1.1 trillion public works package passed by Congress in 2021.

“Unions raise standards across the workforce and industries, pushing up wages and strengthening benefits for everyone,” Biden emphasized. He continued, “You’ve heard me say many times: Wall Street didn’t build America. The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class.”

The 36th annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade and Family Celebration is organized by the Philadelphia AFL-CIO. The organization’s website notes that it comprises over 100 local labor unions, representing the interests of more than 150,000 workers.