United Auto Workers union endorses Biden for president

[webfact]

United Auto Workers union endorses Biden for president

By David Shepardson

 

FILE PHOTO: Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic at an event in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., March 12, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The 400,000-member United Auto Workers union endorsed Joe Biden's U.S. presidential bid on Tuesday, giving the Democrat a potential boost in his efforts to win over working-class voters in states that will decide the Nov. 3 election.

 

President Donald Trump, a Republican, has heavily courted auto workers in battleground states like Michigan and Ohio, while Biden has touted his support for auto workers when he served as vice president and his support of policies championed by unions.

 

The endorsement comes at an opportune time for Biden, who has struggled to maintain a high profile during the COVID-19 pandemic and sustain the momentum he had built up in his lightning-quick run toward becoming the Democratic nominee.

 

"In these dangerous and difficult times, the country needs a president who will demonstrate clear, stable leadership, less partisan acrimony and more balance to the rights and protections of working Americans," UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement.

 

On Monday, the UAW endorsed Biden's plan to reopen the U.S. economy closed to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

The union, which represents about 400,000 U.S. workers, has been in talks with General Motors Co <GM.N>, Ford Motor Co <F.N> and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV <FCHA.MI> about when to reopen U.S. auto plants.

 

"This issue demonstrates the need for presidential leadership to follow the guidance of science and give workers a seat in discussions over their safety and well-being. Now it is time for workers to take their place at the table," Gamble said.

 

Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh noted that Biden voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement opposed by many union members. Murtaugh argued that Trump "is the only one who can restore" the U.S. economy to its pre-coronavirus position.

 

Trump last week named top executives at the Detroit Three automakers and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka to advise the administration on reopening the economy, but did not include the UAW.

 

Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Michigan in 2016 by just over 10,000 votes, or 0.23%. Democrats in the state hope Biden will attract more blue-collar support in 2020.

 

The UAW endorsed Clinton in 2016 but has said it believes a higher-than-normal 32% of members voted for the Republican candidate.

 

Asked this month about his path to victory, Biden pointed to "high school educated, working class people, some of whom moved to Trump last time" as a group he needs to court.

 

On Saturday, a Biden campaign official unveiled a new paid media strategy and noted several states where the campaign is advertising. Michigan was first on the list.

 

The U.S. Justice Department is conducting a wide-ranging corruption investigation of the UAW. Last month, the department charged the union's former president, Gary Jones, who stepped down in November, and it previously charged 13 others.

 

U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider in Detroit said in March a federal takeover of the UAW is among the available options.

 

(Reporting by David Shepardson; additional reporting by James Oliphant and Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Sonya Hepinstall and Dan Grebler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-04-22

 

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[Somtamnication]

Let that crazy race begin. Cannot wait for the Trump meltdowns debating Biden. Buying extra popcorn!

[Cryingdick]

Let's see how they feel when the governor of Michigan won't allow them to go to work. In addition you can't fish, go to your cabin, buy paint or a garden one etc. Man what a waste of downtime if people can't go out let them relax and fix their homes or go fishing. 

 

Watch Biden cry about corporate bail outs when GM has converted to making useless ventilators and will be the first in line.

Edited April 22, 2020 by Cryingdick

[pegman]

Not the great union it once was. I got to meet the youngest Reuther brother, Victor. He was a very inspirational speaker. His oldest brother, Walter, is an icon of left labour unions. Right up there with my avatar who created the ARU. 

[doggie1955]

Yes the Union is for Biden, but the "Workers" are for Trump!

[Tug]

Good they know Donald is a wanna be union buster 

[marko kok prong]

'lock him up,lock him up'

[riclag]

I can speak about unions I was once a member! What the leadership of the unions say and what the members feel are usually a night and day difference! They don't necessarily vote by what the leadership says.  

IMOP if they don't go back to work soon they won't have revenue(dues) coming in from union members  .Also worth mentioning the car companies pay a big part of the medical premiums while no money is coming in!

 

Lastly many members and their families had to put off elective medical care. Thats not sitting well with them!

 

How's biden gonna change that

 

[AlexRich]

Will Biden put an end to the madness of the Trump presidency? 20 million unemployed might just push him over the line.

[khaowong1]

6 hours ago, doggie1955 said:

Yes the Union is for Biden, but the "Workers" are for Trump!

Amen. 

[khaowong1]

So even though President Trump who has worked tirelessly to get the automakers back to work, bringing jobs for them back from Mexico and China isn't good enough for the UAW.  The Democrats want to keep everyone locked down and the President wants everyone back to work, but that isn't good enough for the UAW.  Hmmm. 

[rgraham]

Looks like Groping Joe picked up the Bern's communist vote.

[Tug]

3 hours ago, riclag said:

I can speak about unions I was once a member! What the leadership of the unions say and what the members feel are usually a night and day difference! They don't necessarily vote by what the leadership says.  

IMOP if they don't go back to work soon they won't have revenue(dues) coming in from union members  .Also worth mentioning the car companies pay a big part of the medical premiums while no money is coming in!

 

Lastly many members and their families had to put off elective medical care. Thats not sitting well with them!

 

How's biden gonna change that

 

Nice to see a trump supporter spell out why trump needs to go under trumps watch worst unemployment since the Great Depression possibly in the history of the USA the highest deficit ever has lied more than any potus in history and will not accept responsibility for anything plays the victim when he’s the perp as far as Biden changing anything at least he was part of the team that bailed us out last time no sir time for change

[nattaya09]

Not surprising that the Union Bosses would support Democrats. They usually do.  More important is what happens with the 400K individual votes 

[Sujo]

6 hours ago, riclag said:

I can speak about unions I was once a member! What the leadership of the unions say and what the members feel are usually a night and day difference! They don't necessarily vote by what the leadership says.  

IMOP if they don't go back to work soon they won't have revenue(dues) coming in from union members  .Also worth mentioning the car companies pay a big part of the medical premiums while no money is coming in!

 

Lastly many members and their families had to put off elective medical care. Thats not sitting well with them!

 

How's biden gonna change that

 

Considering its trump and still under his watch what is trump doing about it.

[Sujo]

4 hours ago, khaowong1 said:

So even though President Trump who has worked tirelessly to get the automakers back to work, bringing jobs for them back from Mexico and China isn't good enough for the UAW.  The Democrats want to keep everyone locked down and the President wants everyone back to work, but that isn't good enough for the UAW.  Hmmm. 

There is a lockdown. Have you forgotten who is president and ordered it.

[riclag]

5 hours ago, Tug said:

Nice to see a trump supporter spell out why trump needs to go under trumps watch worst unemployment since the Great Depression possibly in the history of the USA the highest deficit ever has lied more than any potus in history and will not accept responsibility for anything plays the victim when he’s the perp as far as Biden changing anything at least he was part of the team that bailed us out last time no sir time for change

 Ya, when he was fighting a covid virus war the dems and their propaganda machine  were preoccupied with  the resistance movement ! Your funny to mention  he's responsible for shutting down America  because of the covidvirus war and at the same time condemning him for wanting to restart the economy  .

So what do Americans do in the mean time ,T ,wait for biden's jan 20 2021 inauguration and loose everything ,  or go to work in locations where the virus has little impact while using the expert fauci and byrds advise!

 

The dems and  Sen .biden and the establishment at the time have little to be proud of with NAFTA  giving away  jobs and manufacturing(auto mfg) to your neighbors on the border and The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation which was voted on by congress   during VP bidens watch, cutting pension benefits threaten by insolvency,  by 70% in some cases  for teamsters .

The covid virus war will probably effect this federal program to, seeing they were having financial difficulties before the covid virus war. By the way some teamster locals have organized autoworkers.

Some team, biden! the bail out that gave ceo pay raises at the tax payers expense.  he was a moderate then! Now he's far left, being supported by a communist according to james carville .

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/06/pbgc.asp

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/483054-carville-fires-back-at-sanders-for-hack-slam-at-least-im-not-a-communist

Edited April 22, 2020 by riclag

[riclag]

1 hour ago, Sujo said:

Considering its trump and still under his watch what is trump doing about it.

Fighting a war

[Redline]

6 hours ago, rgraham said:

Looks like Groping Joe picked up the Bern's communist vote.

Unions are communist ????

[khaowong1]

10 hours ago, Tug said:

Nice to see a trump supporter spell out why trump needs to go under trumps watch worst unemployment since the Great Depression possibly in the history of the USA the highest deficit ever has lied more than any potus in history and will not accept responsibility for anything plays the victim when he’s the perp as far as Biden changing anything at least he was part of the team that bailed us out last time no sir time for change

Are you reading from a liberal Democrat script?  Do you actually pay attention to anything besides what the <deleted> tell you?  Up until this WooHoo Flu thing hit us, we had the best employment going, ever.  The economy was at the best it's ever been, ever?  Are you going to tell me Biden had something to do with that or his butt buddy Obama?  Get a life. 

[khaowong1]

5 hours ago, riclag said:

 Ya, when he was fighting a covid virus war the dems and their propaganda machine  were preoccupied with  the resistance movement ! Your funny to mention  he's responsible for shutting down America  because of the covidvirus war and at the same time condemning him for wanting to restart the economy  .

So what do Americans do in the mean time ,T ,wait for biden's jan 20 2021 inauguration and loose everything ,  or go to work in locations where the virus has little impact while using the expert fauci and byrds advise!

 

The dems and  Sen .biden and the establishment at the time have little to be proud of with NAFTA  giving away  jobs and manufacturing(auto mfg) to your neighbors on the border and The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation which was voted on by congress   during VP bidens watch, cutting pension benefits threaten by insolvency,  by 70% in some cases  for teamsters .

The covid virus war will probably effect this federal program to, seeing they were having financial difficulties before the covid virus war. By the way some teamster locals have organized autoworkers.

Some team, biden! the bail out that gave ceo pay raises at the tax payers expense.  he was a moderate then! Now he's far left, being supported by a communist according to james carville .

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/retirement/06/pbgc.asp

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/483054-carville-fires-back-at-sanders-for-hack-slam-at-least-im-not-a-communist

????

[pegman]

On 4/22/2020 at 5:56 AM, riclag said:

I can speak about unions I was once a member! What the leadership of the unions say and what the members feel are usually a night and day difference! They don't necessarily vote by what the leadership says.  

IMOP if they don't go back to work soon they won't have revenue(dues) coming in from union members  .Also worth mentioning the car companies pay a big part of the medical premiums while no money is coming in!

 

Lastly many members and their families had to put off elective medical care. Thats not sitting well with them!

 

How's biden gonna change that

 

I worked for the autoworker union in Canada for about a decade. Had our members voted the way our leadership recommeded more often their economic well being would have been better served.