The United Auto Employees on Wednesday endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris over Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump.

The union’s endorsement should not be stunning. UAW President Shawn Fain has been outspoken in opposition to Trump. The Detroit union additionally has traditionally supported Democrats, together with President Joe Biden.

Fain’s criticism of Trump continued when endorsing Harris.

“Our job on this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to construct on her confirmed observe document of delivering for the working class,” Fain mentioned in an announcement. “We will put a billionaire again in workplace who stands in opposition to every thing our union stands for, or we are able to elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our battle on company greed.”

The endorsement comes after Biden withdrew his re-election bid and endorsed Harris to change into the Democratic nominee in opposition to Trump.

Fain and Trump have been at odds – publicly buying and selling remarks – for the reason that union chief was elected early final yr. Trump referred to as for Fain to be fired throughout a speech earlier this month on the Republican Nationwide Conference.

The union responded with a submit calling Trump a “scab and a billionaire,” persevering with “that is who he represents. We all know which aspect we’re on. Not his.”

Shortly after Biden dropped out of the election, the UAW praised him and confirmed help for Harris, who walked a picket line with union members throughout a strike in 2019.

“The trail ahead is obvious: we are going to defeat Donald Trump and his billionaire agenda and elect a champion for the working class to the best workplace on this nation,” the union mentioned in an announcement July 21 after Biden had dropped out of the 2024 race. That assertion stopped wanting formally endorsing Harris.

The UAW’s endorsement is essential for any candidate seeking to safe the battleground state of Michigan, due to the UAW’s potential affect there. The Detroit-based union has roughly 370,000 energetic members and 580,000 retired members, lots of whom reside within the Midwest.

“For our a million energetic and retired members, the selection is obvious: We’ll elect Kamala Harris to be our subsequent President this November,” Fain mentioned Wednesday.

Michigan voters, lots of whom work within the automotive trade, helped each Biden and Trump to win the White Home throughout the previous two presidential elections.