Joe Biden Visits UAW Striking Workers; Becomes First President at a Picket Line
The President accepted an invitation from the head of the union last week.
President Joe Biden has frequently declared himself himself the most “pro-union” president. And now, he has become the first President of the United States to visit a picket line. This afternoon, Biden spoke to United Automobile Workers (UAW) on strike in Michigan.
In part of a speech to UAW striking workers, Biden proudly declared, "Wall Street didn’t build this country, the middle class built this country. The unions built the middle class. That’s a fact. Let’s keep going! You deserve what you’ve earned. And you’ve earned a hell of a lot more than you’re getting paid now."
Biden isn’t the sole member of his administration to showcase support for striking union members. In fact, the first cabinet secretaries to join picket lines also occurred during Biden’s presidency. In October 2021, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack joined striking John Deere workers in Iowa. A few weeks later, then-Labor Secretary Marty Walsh appeared on the picket line alongside striking Kellogg’s workers in Pennsylvania.
While the visual of seeing the President on the front line of a labor dispute is powerful, actions ultimately speak much louder than words. Biden has the executive decisions to back up his support. In August 2021, control of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) flipped to a Democratic majority with Biden’s nominees being expert employment law attorneys with past experience representing unions. Since their confirmations, the NLRB has issued decisions and rulings that have greatly expanded access to collective bargaining.
The number of union elections has increased throughout the country since the start of the Biden administration. Notably, workers at Starbucks and Amazon warehouses have unionized for the first time. They have yet to negotiate a first contract. However, so much became possible because of the new guidelines set forth by the NLRB. Moreover, the organization has reversed recent trends of budget cuts and staffing reductions in order to properly enforce the laws already implemented.
The NLRB is currently advocating and in the rule-making process to make captive audience meetings unlawful, non-compete clauses unenforceable, and workers’ rights to unionize regardless of immigration status. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has recently increased the income threshold requiring proper compensation for overtime pay.
In late August 2023, the NLRB ruled that if employers are found to have committed unfair labor practices during a union recognition election then the company must immediately recognize the union. The ruling also seeks to curtail employers’ ability to delay union elections.
For the first time, the UAW is striking against the three largest automobile makers in the country simultaneously - Ford, GM and Stellantis. The strike started on September 15 at plants in Michigan and Ohio. However, the strike has now spread to 38 locations in 20 states. UAW President Shawn Fain called for the expansion last Friday after GM and Stellantis failed to engage in enough momentum in the negotiations. The workers are striking for fair compensation, improved benefits, the elimination of a tier-based system, and more.
Biden’s visit comes a day ahead of presidential candidate Donald Trump’s own trip to Michigan to address the ongoing strike. He has opted for a primetime address instead of attending the second Republican Presidential Debate in Simi Valley, California. However, his event is being held in Clinton Township, Michigan at the Drake Enterprises plant - which doesn’t employ union workers. Moreover, he’s expected to call for union workers on strike to return to the assembly line immediately and fight against the industry’s transition to electric vehicles.