USA, Biden among striking workers: “You deserve a big raise”

“HISTORICAL” GESTURE

• US President Joe Biden showed up at a picket line of auto workers in Michigan, a gesture the White House called “historic.” It was the first time that a sitting president joined a trade union mobilization

THE SPEECH WITH THE MEGAPHONE

• Biden, wearing a UAW union hat and a sweatshirt with the presidential seal, climbed onto a wooden platform and, with the American flag, spoke to the workers from a megaphone

THE “SACRIFICES” OF THE WORKERS

• The president, who is running for re-election, highlighted the “sacrifices” workers made to save the industry during the 2008 crisis, and sparked widespread applause when he said they “deserve a significant raise.”

AMONG THE APPLAUSE

• Biden addressed the strikers: “You saved the auto industry. You made a lot of sacrifices. The companies were struggling. Now they’re doing incredibly well and, you know, you should, too,” he said to applause.

“YOU DESERVE MORE”

• “Wall Street didn’t lift up the country. It was the middle class. It was the unions. That’s a fact. Let’s move on. You deserve what you earned. And you earned a lot more than they pay you “Biden added

STRIKE

• The mobilization was promoted by the United Auto Workers union against automakers Ford, General Motors and Stellantis after the employment contract expired

THE UNION’S REQUESTS

• The UAW, on strike since September 15, is demanding wage increases of 36% over four years and improvements in pensions and healthcare. The companies’ counteroffer is stuck at less than half. After an initial lockout in three plants, the strike was extended to 38 plants in twenty states on Friday

“HISTORICAL DAY”

• Upon his arrival among the “pickets”, Biden was welcomed by the union president, Shawn Fain, who stated that “it is a historic day”

TRUMP’S ACCUSATIONS

• Biden’s visit precedes that of his predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, who will travel to Michigan on Wednesday. Trump, who had announced his trip before Biden’s, accused the Democratic president of copying him

“PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITY”

• Trump advisor Jason Miller called Joe Biden’s visit ‘nothing more than a poor photo opportunity’