UAW Predictably Endorses Biden for President

Despite trying to stay away from politicians during last year’s labor strike, United Auto Workers’ leadership endorsed Joe Biden for president on Wednesday. This comes after union-head Shawn Fain said UAW dealings with domestic automakers would not be undermined by those seeking to garner political support. Now, Fain is backing Biden on claims that his administration supports the American workforce.

«Elections aren’t about picking your best friend for the job or the candidate who makes you feel good. Elections are about power,» UAW President Shawn Fain said during the union's National Community Action Program Conference.

«This November, we can stand up and elect someone who stands with us and supports our cause, or we can elect someone who will fight us and divide us every step of the way. That’s what this choice is about. The question is, who do we want in that office to give us the best shot at winning?»

Due to the UAW and AFL-CIO both historically backing the Democrats, none of this should come as a major surprise. However, one of the reasons the UAW was hesitant to openly seek support during contract negotiations was down to how politically fractured union members have become. While leadership may be comfortable throwing its weight behind the Biden administration, line-workers are less convinced. Exit polls from 2020 showed that nearly half of the UAW members who voted supported Trump.

This mirrors anecdotal evidence accumulated by your author, with members signaling a roughly even political split. However, those who are undecided have expressed that their main concerns are economic and they have major reservations about how things have played out these last few years. Most have also said that they aren’t broadly trusting of union leadership, even though most still said they thought Fain’s team negotiated a solid deal with General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis.

Then there’s the electrification issue. Whereas the Biden administration has spent billions subsidizing electric vehicles and battery production — claiming it would help bolster American jobs — Trump has warned that a forced push toward electrification would be catastrophic for the economy and