UAW not but endorsing Biden for second time period, citing EV insurance policies

WASHINGTON — United Auto Employees (UAW) President Shawn Fain stated the Detroit-based union is just not but endorsing President Joe Biden for a second time period, citing considerations about electrical car insurance policies.

In a letter to members seen by Reuters on Wednesday, Fain famous a number of nationwide unions have been fast to endorse Biden however the UAW is just not but doing so.

“The federal authorities is pouring billions into the electrical car transition, with no strings connected and no dedication to employees. The EV transition is at critical threat of changing into a race to the underside. We need to see nationwide management have our again on this earlier than we make any commitments,” Fain stated.

Biden’s marketing campaign didn’t instantly remark.

The brand new UAW president was in Washington final week and met with White Home Chief of Employees Jeff Zients and lots of lawmakers.

Fain and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thursday criticized a Common Motors three way partnership battery plant for paying employees a lot lower than meeting plant workers although it advantages from hefty U.S. authorities tax credit.

Employees on the Warren, Ohio, three way partnership Ultium Cells plant close to Lordstown begin at $16.50 an hour rising to $20 an hour after seven years whereas union employees at a close-by Ohio GM meeting plant that closed in 2019 made $32 an hour or extra.

“The state of affairs at Lordstown, and the present state of the EV transition, is unacceptable. We count on motion from the folks in energy to make it proper,” Fain stated.

Fain stated the Ultium plant at full manufacturing will obtain greater than $1.2 billion a 12 months in U.S. battery manufacturing tax credit.

The letter famous that the UAW will enter contract talks on behalf of 150,000 employees at Common Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis. Fain stated the Detroit Three “are making report earnings whereas employees get left behind. We’ll stand with whoever stands with our members in that combat.”

Fain stated the union might be “prepared to speak politics as soon as we safe a future for this business and the employees who make it run.” He stated “one other Donald Trump presidency can be a catastrophe. However our members must see an alternate that delivers actual outcomes.”

GM opened with accomplice LG Vitality Answer the Ultium battery manufacturing plant in August 2022 in Ohio; the pair are constructing two different JV battery crops in Michigan and Tennessee.