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Dressed in a United Auto Workers baseball cap, President Joe Biden became the first sitting president to join a picket line and addressed striking autoworkers on Tuesday, emphasizing the role of unions in building the middle class.
UAW president Shawn Fain, who had invited Biden to support the striking workers, expressed gratitude for his presence at the General Motors parts distribution center in Belleville, Michigan, and handed him a bullhorn.
Surrounded by workers wearing red and holding signs, Biden stated, “The middle class built this country, not Wall Street. Unions deserve the credit for building the middle class. You have earned more than what you are currently being paid.”
When asked about the workers’ demand for a 40 percent pay increase, Biden responded affirmatively. The UAW is requesting a 36 percent raise over four years, while the three major car companies have offered 20 percent. Furthermore, the UAW advocates for equal wages for all workers, a proposition disputed by the companies.
Biden’s visit to the picket line is strategically timed, just over a year before the crucial US presidential election, with Michigan and Ohio being battleground states. In 2016 and 2020, Donald Trump won Ohio, while Michigan voted for him in 2016 but chose Biden in 2020.
Trump is scheduled to hold his own rally in Michigan on Wednesday, and lawmakers from both parties have recently visited the striking workers as well.
The UAW has yet to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential race, as the endorsement includes financial support and assistance with mobilizing voters. Fain stated that the union’s endorsement must be earned.
When asked about the UAW endorsement, Biden stated that he is “not worried”. His administration has positioned itself as strongly pro-union, and the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, referred to the visit as “historic”.
Reflecting on past presidents and unions, labour historian Ileen DeVault from Cornell University mentioned that speaking to strikers is one thing, but walking the picket line is another.
Mark Brewer, a UAW member working in a Ford assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan, expressed support for Biden’s visit and believed it may strengthen the union’s position in negotiations. He emphasized that supporting unions is important, even for those who are not union members, as unions were formed to combat mistreatment.
On Wednesday, Trump is set to speak at Drake Enterprises, an automotive supplier in Clinton Township that is not unionized and located about 25 miles north of Detroit.
Trump has criticized Biden regarding the strikes and positioned himself as supportive of auto workers. He recently criticized the White House’s push for electric vehicles, suggesting that the only way to support striking autoworkers would be to end the mandate.
Additional reporting by Peter Campbell in London
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