The Detroit Information reported earlier this week that a number of individuals sporting “Auto Employees for Trump” T-shirts at a Donald Trump marketing campaign occasion in Michigan had been not actually auto workers.
The report didn’t appear to shock Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Employees union.
“It’s pathetic. All the things he does is a con,” Fain stated Thursday, referencing Trump.
The UAW, which relies within the essential swing state of Michigan, has endorsed Harris, and its chief Fain has grow to be one in every of Trump’s most fiery critics. Fain was talking on a name hosted by the Kamala Harris marketing campaign forward of Trump’s scheduled deal with to the Detroit Financial Membership.
“There’s a stark distinction between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris,” he stated. “Kamala Harris has stood with labor. She’s walked the stroll. Donald Trump serves himself. He’s at all times served himself.”
“It’s pathetic. All the things he does is a con.”
– Shawn Fain on Donald Trump
Most main unions have lined up behind Harris and plan to assist the Democratic nominee’s get-out-the-vote efforts forward of Election Day. Nonetheless, the Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters introduced final month that it will not make an endorsement, citing membership polls displaying extra help for Trump amongst its rank and file.
Just like the Teamsters, the UAW makes its endorsement (or non-endorsement) by means of a vote by its govt board, slightly than a vote by its membership.
Requested concerning the Teamsters’ choice to remain out of the race, Fain stated he believed he had “a duty as a frontrunner” to take a stand in opposition to Trump, noting the previous president’s patently anti-union document whereas in workplace. He didn’t deny a big share of the union’s members would help Trump.
Quoting legendary UAW chief Walter Reuther, Fain stated there was a correlation between the “poll field” and the “bread field,” and argued that positive factors unions and staff have made could possibly be misplaced if Trump wins the presidency.
“What we discount on the bargaining desk could be taken away,” he stated, noting that anti-union officers appointed by Trump made it tougher for staff to prepare.
Fain accused Trump of attempting to “divide” the union throughout its historic strike in opposition to the Large Three automakers final yr. He additionally took a shot on the Republican nominee for praising his supporter Elon Musk as the kind of boss who would hearth placing staff, which is usually unlawful.
The latter was a reference to a chat Trump had with the X proprietor on the social media platform in August. The UAW filed unfair labor practice charges with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board over the remarks, alleging Trump and Musk had been attempting to intimidate staff.
“He sits there and applauds Elon Musk for attempting to fireside placing staff, and so they snicker about that,” Fain stated. “And that’s why I stated Donald Trump is a scab.”
The “Auto Employees for Trump” group is actual, based by a retired auto employee named Brian Pannebecker. However that doesn’t imply all rallygoers sporting the shirts have really labored in an auto manufacturing unit.
The Detroit Information reported there have been “greater than a dozen” individuals sporting the T-shirts at an occasion headlined by Trump’s operating mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, in Detroit on Tuesday. However six of them instructed the outlet they aren’t auto staff themselves. Two stated Pannebecker had given them the shirts.
In the course of the UAW work stoppage final yr, many media retailers reported that Trump can be addressing placing staff in Michigan. In actuality, he was giving a speech at a small, non-union auto elements producer.
