An Agence France-Presse report on September 26 painted an "unprecedented, even historic" picture according to the White House: In Michigan on the 26th, US President Biden stood on the strike picket line with auto workers. According to reports, Biden hopes to show his support for this unprecedented strike movement that has shaken the U.S. auto industry.
The report described that the US president was wearing a United Auto Workers (UAW) hat and holding a loudspeaker to address union members. He recalled the "sacrifice" workers made to "save the car industry" during the 2008 crisis. He said they now deserved a "significant pay rise."
On September 26, Biden held a loudspeaker and spoke to the strikers on the strike picket line. (AFP)
According to reports, Biden is the first sitting US president to be on the strike picket line.
The support from President Joe Biden underscores the close relationship he has developed with unions over his career in a labor dispute that pits the United Auto Workers against three of the nation's biggest automakers - General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis Group.
The report believes that this also highlights the importance of Michigan. The Democrat who is seeking re-election as president may once again face off against his predecessor Trump.
Following the Ford plant, Biden traveled to meet strikers outside the Stellantis plant in nearby Belleville, where a small group of workers was waiting for him.
“It’s very important that he took a public stand and showed his support for our cause,” said 66-year-old worker Curtis Cranford, who was in attendance as a Republican voter.
On September 26, Biden stood with union members at an auto plant in Belleville, Michigan. (AFP)
Biden traveled to Michigan on Tuesday, stealing the spotlight from his Republican rival Donald Trump. Trump plans to travel to the state on Wednesday to court blue-collar workers and count on them to take back the White House.
According to reports, as a result, this already historic strike has turned into a political battlefield.
Trump announced plans for the visit before Biden did, leading him to accuse the Democratic president of plagiarizing him. His adviser, Jason Miller, said Biden's visit was "little more than a pathetic photo opportunity."
When asked whether the President of the United States was taking sides in the labor dispute, a White House spokesman chose to avoid the question, insisting that what Biden wanted most was to reach a "win-win" agreement.