By Jarrett Renshaw
(Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden will speak to United Auto Workers members on Wednesday at a legislative conference in Washington as a long-awaited endorsement from the key labor union appears to be getting closer.
Biden has already pocketed endorsements from most of the nation’s major labor unions. But the seal of approval from the autoworkers has taken much longer despite a full-court press that included Biden joining striking workers when they targeted the Detroit Three automakers in September.
The UAW’s endorsement has outsize political implications because of its influence in Michigan, a key battleground state in the 2024 presidential race.
Biden, a Democrat, narrowly won the state in 2020.
UAW President Shawn Fain declined to comment on Monday on reports the union may endorse Biden’s reelection bid this week. Fain sharply criticized former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, telling Reuters the Republican “is pretty much contrary to everything we stand for.”
Steven Cheug, a Trump campaign spokesperson, said: “President Trump represents the working men and women of America, and his America First policies helped protect American jobs from being either shipped away or terminated.”
The UAW’s endorsement process involves a vote from the union’s international executive board, made up of 14 officers and regional directors. As of Monday, that had not happened, according to Fain.
The UAW won record-setting contracts, including a 25% increase in base wages with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Fain has praised Biden administration officials for helping win those contracts and ensure battery plant workers get higher wages.
In May, Fain said the union was not ready to endorse Biden for a second four-year term, citing concerns about the president’s electric vehicle policies.
(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw; additional reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Paul Thomasch and Jonathan Oatis)
Comments