Biden and Trump visits to Michigan haven’t slowed down UAW strike

The United Auto Workers is expanding its strike days after President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump visited Michigan to rally union support.

An additional 7,000 workers joined the other UAW members who are striking against three major automakers, Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors. The workers from General Motors’s Lansing Delta Township Assembly and Ford’s Chicago Assembly began striking at noon on Friday, making the total number of strikers 25,000 workers, according to the union.

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“To be clear, negotiations have not broken down. We are still talking with all three companies. I am still very hopeful that we can reach a deal that reflects the incredible sacrifices and contributions our members have made over the last decade,” UAW President Shawn Fain said in remarks. “But I also know that what we win at the bargaining table depends on the power we build on the job. It’s time to use that power.”

He also referenced Biden’s Tuesday visit in his remarks about the expanded strike against Ford and General Motors, saying the strikes are the work of “ordinary people.”

“When we win this fight, when we right the wrongs of the past 15 years, and when we set a new course for future generations, it won’t be because of any president. Not the UAW president. Not the president of the United States. It will be because ordinary people did extraordinary things,” he added. “Our solidarity is our strength, and right now, our strength is the hope of working-class people everywhere.”

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Biden made a trip to the picket line on Tuesday, briefly meeting with striking union members and telling them to “stick with it.” Trump also visited Michigan this week with a speech touting his economic policy and asking for the union’s endorsement, which appears unlikely.

The historic strike began earlier this month after negotiations between the UAW and the automakers stalled. The union is pursuing various changes to workers’ contracts, including a 36% pay bump over the next four years.