Washington, United States
United States President Joe Biden on Tuesday (Sep 26) joined striking auto workers on the picket line in Michigan in what the White House called a "historic" first step taken by a sitting US president.
The 80-year-old Democrat wore a baseball cap and used a megaphone to address the United Auto Workers (UAW) union's workers in Wayne County. Speaking to the banner-waving employees, he said to them that he was on their side.
Speaking to the workers, Biden said that the "Big Three" automakers - General Motors, Ford and Stellantis - were "doing incredibly well and guess what, you should be doing incredibly well too."
"You deserve the significant raise you need and other benefits," he stated, as the crowd cheered along. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called it a "historic" trip.
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"Today will mark the first time a sitting president has visited a picket line in modern times," said Jean-Pierre, while speaking to the reporters aboard Air Force One. "This is an important message to America's auto workers,” he added.
Biden was greeted by the UAW's outspoken chief Shawn Fain on the tarmac in Detroit, who also accompanied him to the picket line.
Workers call it 'huge'
56-year-old auto worker Patrick Smaller said, "That is huge” while speaking about Biden's visit from the picket line outside a massive Ford plant located in Wayne County, Michigan on Tuesday.
"He believes in what we stand for,” he added. As trucks and cars honked in support, another worker Tiara Conner said that Biden's visit was "great".
Meanwhile, Donald Trump also plans to visit a non-union auto shop on Wednesday.
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The former and current presidents are both aiming for the blue-collar vote in Michigan, a key swing state which was won by Trump in 2016 and then flipped back to Biden in 2020.
Biden has also talked up his pro-union credentials, and three years ago, an endorsement from the United Auto Workers (UAW) union helped the leader secure the presidency. "I always support the UAW", said Biden on Monday.
Biden has stated that he feels union workers deserve their "fair share" of the record earnings of the companies and added that the time has come for a "win-win agreement" between the automakers and union.
On Monday, when quizzed whether he supports the UAW demands, Biden said, “I think the UAW gave up an incredible amount back when the automobile industry was going under. They gave up everything from their pensions on, and they saved the automobile industry.”
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