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U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his support for the United Auto Workers’ (UAW) efforts to unionize Tesla and Toyota carmakers. During a meeting with UAW workers in Belvidere, Illinois, Biden urged auto workers to reject his Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Sporting a red UAW T-shirt, Biden commended Shawn Fain, the head of the UAW, and emphasized the importance of the tentative contract agreements that were reached between the union and Detroit’s Big Three Automakers, effectively ending a prolonged strike that lasted nearly 45 days.
Addressing the crowd in Belvidere, Biden stated his desire for similar contract provisions to be extended to all autoworkers. Prior to the event, Biden reaffirmed his support for the UAW’s unionization efforts at Tesla and Toyota when speaking to reporters. Toyota responded by expressing its intention to foster positive morale and enhance productivity within its workforce, asserting that the decision to unionize ultimately rests with its team members. As for Tesla, no immediate response to Biden’s remark was provided, although Biden has consistently shown support for UAW initiatives in his other speeches.
In contrast, Trump, the current frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, visited a nonunion factory in Michigan while Biden engaged in a show of solidarity with striking UAW workers on a picket line. Biden reminded the workers of this, urging them to recall his actions. The support of union workers, who represent just 10% of the overall U.S. workforce, played a vital role in Biden’s election in 2020, particularly in states like Michigan, and is expected to be a significant factor in the upcoming 2024 election.
Shawn Fain, the UAW leader, previously stated the union’s intention to organize nonunion workforces in U.S. plants owned by foreign carmakers. Toyota, particularly its sprawling Georgetown, Kentucky plant, is projected to be among the first to face these organizing efforts. Biden’s comments may reignite tensions between him and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, especially as the UAW seeks to unionize Tesla workers.
Over the years, the UAW has made numerous unsuccessful attempts to organize nonunion U.S. auto plants, many of which were established by Asian and European legacy automakers in right-to-work states where paying union dues is optional for workers. Relations between Elon Musk and Biden have been contentious, with Musk claiming in 2021 that Biden’s electric vehicle policy seemed influenced by labor unions. Biden publicly acknowledged Tesla’s electric vehicle production only in February 2022 after Musk expressed frustration at being overlooked by the president.
Most recently, the UAW’s organizing vote among workers at Tesla’s Fremont, California factory failed to garner enough support. The factory was previously owned by GM and Toyota and operated under the UAW when it was known as NUMMI. In 2018, the UAW filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board over a tweet by Musk in which he questioned the necessity of paying union dues and giving up stock options. The NLRB ruled that the tweet violated laws prohibiting management from making threats against workers who support unionization.
President Biden’s appearance on Thursday provided yet another opportunity for him to showcase his pro-union stance to the UAW, which, unlike most other labor organizations, has not yet endorsed him. The UAW’s endorsement is anticipated once its members approve the tentative contract agreements, which considerably raise wages for auto workers and successfully conclude the strike that targeted General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, the manufacturer of Jeep, Dodge, and Ram vehicles.
