The United Auto Workers (UAW) union backed President Joe Biden this week even as many of the organization’s members have announced their support for former President Donald Trump. The endorsement came after a number of layoffs at major auto manufacturing and distribution centers were announced this year.
UAW President Shawn Fain said that Biden aided during the 2023 auto workers strike, adding that he “joined us in solidarity on the picket line for the first time in our nation’s history.” Biden made a 12-minute speech to the workers last year.
Fain also said that “working class people are hurting today.”
“For decades, we’ve been ignored at best and trampled on at work. But we are the vast majority of society,” said the union leader. “We have the numbers, and we have the votes. When we stand united, we put fear in the hearts of the billionaire class.”
The endorsement came after Fain stated that many of the union’s members would ultimately cast their ballot for Trump.
UAW Union Boss and Never Trumper just conceded that most members of the United Auto Workers union will vote for President Trump because he’s much better for the economy than Joe Biden.pic.twitter.com/GpAE5lgCz7
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) January 24, 2024
Trump received significant attention after attending a rally of auto workers during the UAW strike last year.
The former president decided to attend the event with UAW members in Macomb County, Michigan rather than attend a Republican primary debate.
“I side with auto workers of America and with those who want to make America great again, and I always will,” Trump told the crowd.
He further said that American workers were being “screwed.” Trump also criticized Biden’s appearance with striking workers at a picket line.
The former president said that Biden’s policies were the ones that “sent Michigan autoworkers to the unemployment line.”
He also argued that Biden’s visit to the workers only came after his own announcement of supporting the workers. Trump said that Biden had “no idea what he was saying” and “didn’t know where he was.”
Last year, Trump also dismissed the claims that Biden was the “most pro-union president in history” as “nonsense.” He further said that Biden had committed “economic treason and union destruction.”
