President Biden on UAW Picket Line Backs Wage Bids

Present Biden joined a UAW picket line at the GM Willow Run distribution center in Michigan punctuating his claim to be a pro-labor president by standing up “with workers in our fight for economic and social justice The punctuation marks were!!! The move to join the picket line was once again a knockout blow to Republican presidential wannabes who are falling all over themselves to be anti-labor. Biden appeared in front of and on the picket line of Local 174, the home of UAW founder, reformer and visionary Walter Reuther. (AutoInformed: Labor Day – UAW Struggles Are Key to The American Dream; EV Politics – Biden versus the UAW)

“Hello, UAW!,” Biden said. “I marched in a lot of UAW picket lines when I was a senator – since 1973 – but I tell you what, it’s the first time I’ve ever done it as president. Folks, look, one thing is real simple – I’m going to be very brief – the fact of the matter is that you guys, the UAW – you saved the automobile industry back in 2008 and before. You made a lot of sacrifices. You gave up a lot. And the companies were in trouble. But now they’re doing incredibly well. And guess what? You should be doing incredibly well too. It’s a simple proposition. Folks, stick with it, because you deserve the significant raise you need and other benefits. Let’s get back what we lost, okay?

The crowd was extremely vocal in its support, even though the UAW estimates that one-third of its members voted for a wealthy east-coast elite candidate who became one-term President Trump after, among other things, he put in place anti-labor policies and destroyed the economy breaking his campaign promises. While the UAW hasn’t endorsed Biden thus far, the 2024 Presidential candidate the union emphatically said it won’t endorse is the 91-count indicted, twice-impeached ex-president.

An enlarged press pool of reporters, TV readers, and propagandists asked the president if he supported a 40% wage increase for the auto workers. Union members encompassing him shouted yes. Biden took a dramatic pause and said Yes.”