The 400,000-member United Auto Workers union endorsed Joe Biden’s U.S. presidential bid on Tuesday, giving the Democrat a possible increase in his efforts to win over working-class voters in states that will decide the November 3 election.
President Donald Trump, a Republican, has heavily courted auto workers in battleground states such as Michigan and Ohio, while Biden has touted his support for auto workers when he used to be a vice president under Obama administration and his support of policies championed by unions.
The endorsement comes at an favorable time for Biden, and it would help him sustain the momentum he had created in his lightning-quick run toward becoming the Democratic nominee.
“In these dangerous and difficult times, the country needs a president who will demonstrate clear, stable leadership, less partisan acrimony and more balance to the rights and protections of working Americans,” stated Rory Gamble, the UAW President.
On Monday, the UAW endorsed Biden’s plan to resume the U.S. economy shut to try to reduce the increase of the coronavirus outbreak.
The union, which represents about 400,000 U.S. employees, has been in talks with General Motors, Ford Motor and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) about when to resume U.S. auto plants.
“This issue demonstrates the need for presidential leadership to follow the guidance of science and give workers a seat in discussions concerning their safety and well-being. Now it is time for workers to take their place at the table,” Gamble stated.
Trump campaign representative Tim Murtaugh noted that Biden voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opposed by many union members. Murtaugh argued that Trump the only on who can revive the U.S. economy to its pre-coronavirus position.
Trump last week named leading executives at the Detroit Three automakers and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to advise the administration on resuming the economy, but did not include the UAW.
Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan in 2016 by just higher than 10,000 votes, or 0.23%. Democrats in the state hope Biden will attract more blue-collar support in this year.
The UAW endorsed Clinton in 2016 but has stated it believes a higher-than-normal 32% of members had voted for the Republican candidate.
The U.S. Justice Department is carrying out a wide-ranging corruption investigation of the UAW. Last month, the department charged the union’s former president, Gary Jones, who quit his post in November, and it previously charged 13 others.
U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider in Detroit stated in March a federal takeover of the UAW is one of the available options.
