One of America’s Biggest Unions Formally Endorses Joe Biden

AOL

United Auto Workers, one of America’s biggest unions, has formally endorsed Joe Biden for reelection. 

After months of delay and speculation, UAW made its public endorsement of the president at a Community Action Program conference in Washington, D.C. 

“Today, I’m proud to stand up here with your International Executive Board and announce that the UAW is endorsing Joe Biden for President of the United States,” said UAW president Shawn Fain in a speech. “We will reelect Joe Biden.”

Fain’s remarks were equal parts enthusiastic support of Biden’s pro-labor accomplishments and a forceful rebuke of Donald Trump’s anti-labor rhetoric and history. 

“In 2019, our members were out there holding the line at GM on a national strike for 40 days,” Fain said. “Trump was the sitting president. And I wanna show you a picture of what Trump said and what actions he took to help the American auto worker striking at GM when he was president.”

Fain showed a blank picture on a projector. 

On the other hand, Fain said “Joe Biden bets on the American worker while Donald Trump blamed the American worker. So, if our endorsements must be earned, Joe Biden has earned it.” 

Taking the stage after fain, President Biden briefly donned a black UAW cap.

“Look, I kept my commitment to be the most pro-union president ever,” Biden said. “Let me just say I’m honored to have your back and you have mine. That’s the deal.”

Biden made history last year when he joined UAW workers striking in Michigan—the first sitting president to ever do so, despite the precarious optics of taking sides in a labor dispute. 

The president’s staff choices for Labor Department and National Labor Relations Boards have been consistently praised by pro-labor advocates, who say the appointments have made meaningful strides for workers and unions in both regulation and legal challenges.