United Auto Workers (UAW) President Sean Fein lashed out at former President Trump in a speech Wednesday, announcing the union's support for President Biden and calling the top Republican candidate a “scab.”
“Donald Trump is a scab.” Fein saidThere was applause from the union members. “Donald Trump is a billionaire and that's what he represents. If Donald Trump worked in an auto factory, he wouldn't be a member of the UAW and would try to exploit American workers. He will become a company employee.”
“Donald Trump stands against everything we stand for as unions and as a society,” Fein continued. “If you go back to the core issues of our time: wages, retirement, health care, and our time, that’s what this election is about.”
Fein announced the union's support for Biden while introducing the president's remarks at a conference in Washington, D.C. He cited Biden's solidarity with autoworkers and the UAW, particularly during recent strikes against major automakers.
“This election is about who's on our side and who's in our way,” Fein said of the likely rematch between Biden and Trump in the 2020 presidential election. .
“These are the issues that will make or break this election and will determine our fate,” he said. “These are the questions that will determine the future of our country and the fate of our working class.”
In his announcement, Fein pointed to several examples dating back to the 2007-2008 recession in which Biden sided with autoworkers. He also harshly criticized Trump's criticism of labor unions.
The UAW has previously supported Democratic candidates, and even though it supported Biden in 2020, it withheld its support for Biden. Fein has raised concerns with the Biden administration in the past about electric vehicle policy.
Biden joined the picket line last fall with UAW workers who were evicted from three major U.S. automakers: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. He calls himself the “most pro-union president” in history.
In September, Mr. Trump skipped the second Republican primary debate and instead took part in a strike by Detroit autoworkers, hoping to appeal to union members important to Mr. Biden's voting base.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
