President Joe Biden showed support for the strike of auto workers in Michigan on Tuesday, becoming the first sitting American president to join a picket line.
“You saved the automobile industry back in 2008, made a lot of sacrifices, gave up a lot, and the companies were in trouble. But now they are doing incredibly well,” Biden, using a bullhorn, told General Motors workers on a picket line near Detroit. “You should be doing incredibly well too.”
Biden’s trip to Michigan comes one day before former President Donald Trump gives a primetime speech in Detroit. Trump will skip the second Republican presidential primary debate to address auto workers.
Nearly 13,000 auto workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at plants in Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio. Those factories produce the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler and Chevrolet Colorado, among other popular models. On Friday, employees of parts distribution centers of General Motors and Stellantis joined the walkout. More than 18,000 workers are now on strike.
Union leaders are asking for a 36% wage increase over four years to match the recent pay increase for top executives.
The UAW’s argument is that workers agreed to lower wages at the peak of the auto industry crisis, but salaries have never returned to previous levels, while profits and executive pay have. The automakers have proposed 20% raises over 4-1/2 years.
