UAW Not Backing Biden Says Shawn Fain: 'Our Endorsements Are Going To Be Earned'

In a recent turn of events, the President of the United Auto Workers (UAW), Shawn Fain, has declared his non-endorsement for President Joe Biden in the upcoming 2024 elections, as reported by The Hill.

What Happened: Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation”, Fain made it clear that the UAW’s endorsements are never given lightly, but are earned through action, not words. This announcement follows recent attempts by the Biden administration to involve itself in the UAW’s ongoing negotiations with leading automakers such as Ford Motor Co F, General Motors Company GM, and Stellantis NV STLA.

"Our endorsements are going to be earned. We've been very clear about that, no matter what politician," Said Fain during the interview.

Fain stressed that the battle for fair economic justice for workers is not contingent on who occupies the Oval Office, but rather on the workers’ ability to secure their fair share of economic justice. This comes after UAW workers staged a strike against these automakers last week after contract negotiations fell apart.

Backing Fain’s stance, former UAW President Bob King expressed that Biden should have already done more to support the striking workers, especially concerning federal electric vehicle (EV) policies that could potentially affect workers’ jobs and pay.

See Also: If Trump Has A Change Of Heart, He Won’t Have To Go Very Far To Attend The Third Debate. GOP Is Bringing

Why It Matters: This is not the first time the UAW has been hesitant to endorse Biden. Earlier this year, the union voiced its concerns over Biden’s EV policies, stating that the government was investing billions in EV transition without any commitment to workers. The UAW called for strong national leadership to support them in this transition before making any endorsement commitments.

Last week, UAW workers initiated a historic simultaneous strike against the three automakers following failed negotiations over pay hikes and other benefits. The same day, Biden had discussions with Fain and major auto industry executives in an attempt to avert the impending strike. However, the strike proceeded as planned.

The Chamber of Commerce has suggested that the Biden administration’s policies may have contributed to the UAW’s decision to strike, implying that Biden’s promotion of unionization may have had unintended consequences.

Photo by YASAMIN JAFARI TEHRANI on Shutterstock

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