UAW chief says endorsing Biden was easy since Trump 'never stood for the American worker'
On Wednesday, United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain announced that his union — which makes up nearly 400,000 members nationwide — was supporting President Joe Biden in the 2024 election. The Biden endorsement comes despite former President Donald Trump's efforts to court the UAW during a 2023 visit to a non-union auto plant in Michigan.
During an interview with Fox Business, host Neil Cavuto asked Fain why his union chose to support Biden over Trump. Fain flatly opined that the former president was an ardent opponent of working people.
"If you look at the facts and the body of work of both candidates, you know, both of them in their own words, nowhere in history has Donald Trump ever stood for the American worker," Fain said. "He stands against pretty much everything that we stand for."
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During his endorsement announcement, Fain further emphasized the contrast between the two likely presidential nominees.
"[Trump] went to a nonunion plant, invited by the boss, and trashed our union," Fain said. "And, here is what Joe Biden did during our stand up strike: He heard the call. He stood up, and showed up."
"He joined us in solidarity on the picket line for the first time in our nation's history a sitting president has ever done that," he added. "He said on live national TV that the Big Three [automakers], and I quote, 'should go further to ensure that record corporate profits mean record contracts for the UAW and the workers.' So that's the choice we face."
Fain's endorsement of Biden comes on the heels of his union winning major concessions from the Big Three automakers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) that include 25% wage increases for the highest-paid workers, and a 160% wage increase for the lowest-paid workers. UAW workers went on strike across multiple states to demand a fair contract, prompting Biden to walk the picket line alongside striking autoworkers — something even President Barack Obama didn't even do during his two terms despite a 2007 campaign pledge.
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Watch the video of Fain's remarks below or by clicking this link.
