Staff Reports
As the UAW prepares to strike in September, Joe Biden finds himself at a difficult position. The union's members are expected to walk off their jobs at the plants that produce electric vehicle batteries for General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. These facilities are not subject to the same labor standards and wage requirements as their traditional counterparts.
Shawn Fain, the UAW's president, is urging Biden and members of Congress to add safety and wage standards for auto factories to various spending legislation. He also noted that the union is expecting a decision from the administration.
The Biden administration has supported the UAW, stating that workers at battery factories should have the right to bargain for better wages and working conditions. Concerns have been raised about the union's silence on supporting the former vice president's 2020 re-election bid, especially since it did so in support of him in 2020. A loss of this crucial union's support could affect Biden's coalition.
President @JoeBiden is stuck between a rock and a hard place as the United Auto Workers prepare to walk off the job in September over concerns about the nation's switch to electric vehicles.https://t.co/0Oy56cosvY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 10, 2023
On the other hand, Donald Trump is making a push to court the UAW's members, criticizing Biden's Green New Deal and urging the union to endorse him. The union will have to decide if it will respond positively to Trump's overtures.
As the UAW prepares to strike in September, Joe Biden is facing a tough task in navigating the organization's demands and the administration's plan to transition to electric cars. As a conservative writer, I'm sure that his pro-labor credentials are being tested. Will he be able to deliver on his promise to help the union or will he alienate its members?
