United Auto Workers (UAW) leaders made a final plea to their members Tuesday night to vote for presidential candidate Kamala Harris, casting the election as a contest between working class and billionaire interests. Ta.
“We want you to know where your union stands. We want you to listen to what the UAW leadership is thinking about this election, and we want you to be open-minded.” Union President Sean Fein said.
“I know that a lot of our political system in this country is focused on bullshit, bickering, name-calling, and things that don’t affect our daily lives as working-class people.”
Fein said unions have a responsibility to engage in political activities, citing the late UAW President Walter Reuter’s quote, “There is a direct relationship between the ballot box and the bread box, and unions have no control over what they do at the bargaining table.” What can we win by fighting for something?” Please stay away from the legislative hall. ”
Mr. Fein characterized the past 40 years in the United States as a unilateral class war against the working class won by the billionaire class, leading to the destruction of labor unions in the 1980s and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the 1990s. was given as an example. , the concessions made by the working class in the wake of the 2008 recession, and what he called the “new Gilded Age” of the 2010s.
“We’re in a vicious cycle where the billionaire and corporate class increasingly take what’s theirs and rewrite the rules of the game to keep it,” pitting Democrats and Republicans against each other. Added Mr. Fain, who placed the two sides. This class war. “Democrats care about working-class people and their voices and want to be part of our coalition. On the other hand, we have a Republican Party that is embracing the billionaire class, especially at the national level. . They accepted a billionaire candidate.”
The union formally endorsed Harris in August 2024. Fein spoke at the Democratic National Convention and has been a vocal critic of Trump during the campaign. The majority of his members live in Michigan, a key battleground state that is home to the U.S. auto industry.
Earlier this month, Mr. Fein criticized President Trump for making disparaging remarks about autoworkers in the United States, saying, “You could let a kid do it,” when characterizing the work of U.S. autoworkers, referring to President Trump’s work performance. He frequently called President Trump a “scab.” Records regarding worker rights and employer support for striking workers.
In a livestream address to union members, Fein argued there are clear differences between Trump and Harris on labor issues and policies affecting autoworkers.
The union says a majority of its members support Harris over Trump.
“You can disagree with me and I don’t care how you vote,” Fein continued. “But we cannot ignore our obligation as a union to fight tooth and nail for social and economic justice for every member of this union and every member of the working class.”
A poll conducted by the union in October 2024 found that UAW members favored Harris over Trump by 22 points, with 57% of members supporting Harris and 32% supporting Trump. It turned out that there was. The poll was conducted among union members in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada.
Union members who reported hearing about the election from their union favored Harris over Trump by 29 percentage points. The poll noted that the union engages 293,000 active and retired UAW members and their families.
In Michigan, a poll found UAW members favor Harris over President Trump by 20 percentage points.
“We can’t let this go,” Fein concluded. “Every organizing campaign, every contract, every grievance resolution is going to be affected by this election. If the billionaires take back the presidency through their dog, Donald Trump, every CEO in this country. I’m sure he’ll smell blood.”
