Biden Joins UAW Strikers on Picket Line in Michigan
The Facts
US Pres. Joe Biden on Tuesday joined United Auto Workers strikers on their picket line at a General Motors parts distribution warehouse in Michigan, encouraging them to keep fighting for a 40% raise despite concerns that a prolonged strike could harm the economy.
Though lawmakers and presidential candidates often appear at walkouts, this is reportedly the first time in American history that a sitting president has ever walked a picket line to show support for an ongoing strike.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
This historic visit to the UAW picket line attests to the truth of Biden's self-proclaimed staunch pro-union stance, sending a powerful symbolic message in support of striking workers and stressing the rising influence of organized labor in the country. His decision is likely to give UAW members more leverage in negotiations while also calling out right-wing false populists.
Republican narrative
As Biden sees his polling numbers sinking deeper ahead of the 2024 election, he is desperately trying to secure an endorsement from the UAW — one of the biggest private sector unions in the country. That is precisely why he decided to take sides in this union negotiation. Yet, walking the picket line does not change the fact that his pro-EV policies and economic mishandling have harmed working-class Americans.
