Joe Biden Addresses Blue Collar Workers At UAW Conference

 

President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak at an upcoming conference held by the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in Washington D.C. The event provides an opportunity for Biden to appeal to blue-collar voters in important manufacturing and auto-industry states ahead of the next election. While some UAW leaders have yet to endorse Biden for a second term, wanting to see more concrete support for their issues first, opinions among union members vary.

The article profiles two UAW members — Caroline from Iowa who strongly supports Biden for his past strike backing, while William from Connecticut is less enthusiastic but still prefers Biden over Donald Trump. A major topic is the PRO Act, legislation to ease unionization that remains stalled in the Senate despite calls for additional support. Younger members also express dissatisfaction with Biden’s stance on issues like Israel/Gaza.

The 380,000-member UAW typically takes time deciding on presidential endorsements. Current president Shawn Fain must balance this process carefully following past union scandals. However, any endorsement could influence not just members but other blue-collar voters increasingly voting Republican. Meanwhile, Biden won New Hampshire’s Democratic primary write-in contest, marking a shift from his weaker showing four years ago, in a potential setback for competitor Rep. Dean Phillips.