The United Auto Workers (UAW) union endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for U.S. president on Wednesday, a move expected to strengthen Harris’s campaign in the key swing state of Michigan. UAW President Shawn Fain praised Harris’s commitment to the working class and highlighted her stance against corporate greed, noting that she “will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed.”
The endorsement comes from the 370,000-member UAW’s executive board, which had previously endorsed President Joe Biden for reelection in January before he withdrew from the race on July 21. With many UAW members based in Michigan, the union’s support is significant in a state that has been a battleground for both Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump.
Fain emphasized Harris’s track record in combating corporate price-gouging and unfair trade deals and recalled her participation in the 2019 picket line with striking auto workers. According to Fain, Harris is scheduled to rally with UAW members in Detroit on August 7.
Trump campaign officials have not commented on the endorsement. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that Harris holds a marginal one-percentage-point lead over Trump, narrowing the gap that had widened before Biden’s withdrawal. The UAW’s executive board discussed concerns about Biden’s ability to defeat Trump prior to his exit from the race.
Fain has been critical of Trump, stating that a Trump presidency would be disastrous for the working class. Trump, in turn, has criticized Fain, particularly at the Republican National Convention, accusing the UAW of failing to prevent Chinese automakers from establishing factories in Mexico to export products to the U.S.
Historically, the UAW has supported Democratic candidates and deepened its relationship with Biden, who made history as the first sitting president to join a picket line during a strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis in Detroit last September. The strike resulted in significant gains for the UAW, including a 25% wage increase and the reinstatement of cost-of-living adjustments.
While other prominent unions have shifted their endorsements from Biden to Harris, some, like the Teamsters, have yet to make an endorsement. Teamsters President Sean O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention but did not endorse Trump, and the union has invited Harris to meet with them without receiving a response.
Separately, Trump spoke at the Chicago National Association of Black Journalists conference, discussing his views on electric vehicle policies. Despite Elon Musk’s endorsement, Trump stated his opposition to the widespread adoption of electric cars.
