Shawn Fain, head of the United Auto Workers (UAW), believes that former President Donald Trump would hurt the labor movement if he wins again. Fain thinks Trump is too closely tied to billionaires, doesn’t understand the auto industry, and has never supported unions.
In a recent interview, Fain criticized Trump for only pretending to care about workers now. Trump has often criticized Fain, calling him names and claiming Fain is threatening auto jobs with the shift to electric vehicles.
The UAW, which has many members in Michigan—a crucial state in the presidential race—recently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Both Trump and Harris are focused on winning union votes in Michigan, a state with a significant number of union members and a history of close elections.
Trump won Michigan by a narrow margin in 2016 but lost it by a larger margin in 2020. Winning over union workers could help sway the votes in Michigan, where union membership is high, including many families and retirees.
During a recent Republican convention speech, Trump urged union workers to reject Fain, making false claims about Chinese auto factories. However, there are no known such factories in Mexico.
Fain dismisses Trump’s attacks, saying they are typical of Trump’s style and that he offers no real solutions. Fain believes the shift to electric vehicles is unavoidable and that workers should be prepared for it.
Under President Biden, the auto industry has seen job growth, and major automakers are profitable. Fain points out that Biden has helped create new jobs in Ohio by supporting a new electric vehicle battery plant.
The UAW supports Harris and prefers her to choose from several potential vice presidential candidates, but even if she doesn’t pick one of their top choices, the union will still support her. Fain praised Harris for her past support of workers and criticized Trump as merely a showman who doesn’t offer real solutions.
Trump’s campaign has called Fain a “puppet” of the Democrats and claims Trump will fight for American workers.