UAW President Shawn Fain is speaking out against former President Donald Trump ahead of his visit to Detroit. Fain is calling attention to the plight of workers and the growing disparity between the billionaire class and the working class. Union members, who were previously loyal Democratic voters, have been increasingly leaning towards Republican candidates.
While Trump may hope to gain support from autoworkers during his visit, he has received criticism from Fain himself. Fain won the union’s recent leadership election by capturing the anti-establishment sentiment among UAW workers. Trump claims that the UAW president does not have the best interests of union members at heart and has urged them to reject the Biden administration’s push towards electric vehicles.
Fain has made the transition to electric vehicles one of the primary concerns for the union, fearing that it could potentially lead to job losses. However, the reality is that the transition is inevitable due to increasing consumer demand for electric cars and trucks. Despite this, Fain continues to put pressure on GM, Ford, and Stellantis to ensure a “just transition” to EVs that preserves union jobs.
Fain has also been critical of President Biden, expressing disappointment in the lack of support for the autoworkers’ cause. While the UAW typically supports Democratic presidential candidates, Fain has not yet endorsed Biden. This adds to the pressure on the president, who is already facing low approval ratings.
Some Democratic politicians, such as California Rep. Ro Khanna, are urging Biden and other Democrats to show their support by joining the picket lines. Khanna argues that the Democratic Party needs to demonstrate that it is the party of the working class.
Overall, Fain’s criticism of both Trump and Biden reflects the growing disillusionment of union members with the current state of the economy and the lack of substantial support from politicians.
Source: CNN (without URL)