On Wednesday, President Joe Biden praised his administration’s efforts in promoting American-made vehicles and other manufactured goods created by union labor as the future of US business, earning a coveted endorsement from the United Autoworkers Union.
Mr. Biden, whose admirers have dubbed him as the most pro-union of all American presidents, lauded UAW members for fighting for their right to share in their employers’ success during their recent strike as he addressed from the stage at the UAW’s annual convention in Washington.
“You ensured that the future of the world will be made in America,” he told the gathering autoworkers, adding that his administration had advocated for stronger implementation of “buy American, hire American” standards in federal procurement.
He also stated that the autoworkers’ success in compelling major automakers to negotiate stronger union contracts had spread to smaller, non-union industries, resulting in what he called a “UAW bump” in salaries across the industry.
“Because of you, Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan, and [Tesla] all granted their employees double-digit raises. Workers across the country have witnessed the highest salary gains for workers producing cars, trucks, and many other transportation equipment in almost 30 years,” he said, adding that he believes labor unions provide “the best-skilled workers in the world.”
Mr. Biden, who became the first US president to walk a picket line last year when he joined striking autoworkers outside a Michigan auto plant in September, stated that if he had to fight, he would prefer to do so with unionized autoworkers.
“We have a big fight in front of us… we’re fundamentally changing the economy in this country,” he remarked, concluding by thanking the autoworkers for their support.
“I could not be prouder. I am honored that you have chosen to stand with me,” he remarked.
The UAW’s endorsement of Mr Biden follows months of debate over whether the big auto union would support the 46th president.
However, as he walked up to welcome Mr Biden on Wednesday, UAW president Shawn Fain appeared to leave no doubt that Mr Biden had done more than enough to earn the autoworkers’ favor.
Mr Fain contrasted Mr. Biden’s visit to the Wayne County, Michigan picket line last fall with Mr. Trump’s publicity ploy, in which he visited a non-union factory and “trashed our union” at the invitation of the plant’s owners.
He pointed out that Mr Trump paid that controversial visit as a candidate for a second, non-consecutive term, not as president, and that Mr Trump “did nothing, not a damn thing” to support striking workers during his four years in the White House.
Mr Biden, on the other hand, “heard the call, and he stood up and he showed up,” according to Mr Fain, who thanked Mr Biden for having “joined us in solidarity on the picket line” and pointed out that no previous president had ever picketed with striking workers.
Mr Trump is a “scab,” he said, using a derogatory term for a non-union worker who crosses a picket line to replace a striking worker.
“Donald Trump is a billionaire, and this is who he represents. If Donald Trump ever worked at an automobile plant, he would not be a member of the United Auto Workers. He’d be a corporation man attempting to squeeze the American worker,” Mr Fain added, adding that the 45th president “opposes everything we stand for as a union and as a community.”
The UAW head stated that the decision between the two guys was “clear”.
“Joe Biden bet on the American worker, while Donald Trump blamed the American worker,” claimed the former vice president. “So if our endorsement has to be earned, Joe Biden has earned it.”