U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a celebration of NCAA championship teams on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, July 22, 2024.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images
The United Auto Workers union on Wednesday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris over Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump.
The union's endorsement should come as no surprise. UAW President Shawn Fain has been an outspoken opponent of Trump. The Detroit union has also historically supported Democrats, including President Joe Biden.
Fain's criticism of Trump continued when he endorsed Harris.
“Our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to continue her proven track record of working for the working class,” Fain said in a statement. “We can put back into office a billionaire who opposes everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris, who will stand with us in our war against corporate greed.”
The endorsement comes after Biden withdrew his re-election bid and endorsed Harris to become the Democratic nominee against Trump.
Fain and Trump have been at odds — trading public barbs — since the union leader was elected early last year. Trump called for Fain's firing during a speech earlier this month at the Republican National Convention.
The union responded with a post calling Trump a “scab and a billionaire,” adding: “That's who he represents. We know whose side we're on. Not his.”
President Joe Biden celebrates with United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain after Fain and the UAW endorsed Joe Biden for president at a Community Action Program legislative conference in Washington on January 24, 2024.
Leah Millis | Reuters
Shortly after Biden withdrew from the election, the UAW praised him and showed support for Harris, who marched on the picket line with union members during a strike in 2019.
“The path forward is clear: We will defeat Donald Trump and his multi-trillion dollar agenda and elect a champion of the working class to the highest office in this country,” the union said in a statement July 21 after Biden dropped out of the 2024 race. That statement stopped short of formally endorsing Harris.
UAW support is crucial for any candidate seeking to win the battleground state of Michigan because of the potential influence the UAW could have there. The Detroit-based union has about 370,000 active members and 580,000 retired members, many of whom reside in the Midwest.
“For our 1 million active and retired members, the choice is clear: We will elect Kamala Harris to be our next president this November,” Fain said Wednesday.
Michigan voters, many of whom work in the auto industry, helped both Biden and Trump win the White House during the last two presidential elections.
Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump looks on as he addresses autoworkers while skipping the second Republican debate, in Clinton Township, Michigan, September 27, 2023.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
