On Tuesday (26), the President of the United States, Joe Biden, became the first person in office to join a picket of strikers. The historic moment offered a preview of the 2024 election in the country, in which the Democrat is expected to be a candidate for re-election, and highlighted the president’s long-term commitment to a worker-centered economy.
Biden’s visit preceded that of former president Donald Trump by a day, who is expected to face him in the race and hopes to reduce the current president’s support among working-class voters.
The fact created one of the most direct contrasts between the likely opponents, as each of them looks less and less at the primaries and more at the general elections.
Shortly after the announcement of the strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) — a union that represents workers in the automotive sector — Biden expressed his support for the cause.
He also faced pressure from his party colleagues to appear proactive after publicly predicting in early September that there would be no shutdowns.
Only when the union president publicly invited the chief executive did he change his travel schedule and decide to go to Michigan.
At that point, Trump had already announced his own plans to visit the state — contrary to the UAW’s recommendation.
Wearing a union cap and a megaphone to speak, Biden demonstrated a break with his predecessors’ attempts at neutrality. He offered the most explicit example of his economic premise, centered on workers, not corporations.
“Now they’re doing incredibly well,” he said of automakers’ profits after receiving federal assistance. “And guess what: you should be doing incredibly well too.”
Biden vs. Trump in Michigan battleground
For the first time this campaign season, Biden and Trump are competing directly for the same voters, each trying to appeal to unionized workers.
“You deserve a significant raise,” Biden said during the visit. “We saved them, it’s time for them to defend us.”
The visits highlight a commonality in widely divergent political identities: claiming the position of defender of the working class. The powerful voting bloc could help decide next year’s elections. Biden narrowly won Michigan in 2020, but Trump carried the state in 2016.
The circumstances, however, highlight differences: while Biden was invited, Trump is not “welcome” at the events, according to the union president.
Although the Republican announced his plans before the current president, the White House insists that Tuesday’s visit was not encouraged by his predecessor.
Trump, who does not plan to join a picket line, will speak at a non-union location. The union does not consider the event at Drake Enterprises in Clinton Township, Michigan, to be a show of solidarity with the UAW, according to a union source.
Biden walks a fine line with automakers
Although he calls himself the “most pro-union president in history”, Joe Biden has a limit when it comes to supporting auto workers.
When a reporter asked whether a 40% wage increase for the area should be applied, the strikers shouted “yes”, and were joined by the Democrat.
However, the White House claims “not to be involved” in the negotiations. Before the president’s trip, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated that “it is something for the parties involved to decide how it will work”.
Biden kept in touch with auto industry executives, including by phone, in the days leading up to the shutdown, but did not meet with them during his visit to Michigan.
A prolonged strike could have repercussions on the country’s economy, which could lead to an increase in vehicle prices and changes in the supply chain.
Even though the president is clearly on the side of the union, those in his position usually work for neutrality in labor disputes. Biden himself intervened, at the beginning of his term, to prevent a strike in the railway sector.
See also: Lula and Biden will sign a pro-app worker pact
Looking for support
Upon leaving Air Force One, the official plane of the US presidency, in Michigan, Joe Biden said he was “not worried” about what it would take to obtain the support of the union responsible for the movement.
The group has traditionally supported the Democratic Party, and it is difficult to see it moving in the direction of Donald Trump in 2024.
Still, the UAW has expressed concern about the president’s efforts to transition the U.S. automotive fleet to electric vehicles.
Given the current contract negotiations in the area, it is not surprising that the union would postpone supporting any candidate, seeking the best conditions it can get for this.
UAW President Shawn Fain praised Biden for his participation in the picket, and spoke harshly against industry executives: “They think they own the world, but we are the ones who make it move.”
Historical appearance
First sitting president to participate in a picket line. The White House sought to highlight the event carried out by Joe Biden, portraying it as a moment in which history was written.
In 2019, the Democrat was in Kansas, where he wore a red UAW t-shirt and climbed into the back of a pickup truck. The following year, he joined the casino workers in Las Vegas. In both cases, he did not yet hold his current position, which he assumed in 2021.
While some of his co-religionists in the position have historically expressed support for unions, their positions have been more muted. John F. Kennedy, for example, allowed federal workers the right to collective bargaining but warned them about the economic risks involved in a strike.
During their terms, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama sought to resolve shutdowns that could have broad repercussions on the local economy.
There are practical reasons why they have sought neutrality: The National Labor Relations Board, whose members are appointed by the president but which must operate independently, has 28 cases pending that have been brought by the United Auto Workers.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
