UAW Endorses Biden, Calls Trump the ‘S-Word’

For union workers the harshest, most vicious insult they can dish out is to call someone the “S-Word – a SCAB. A person who steals union jobs. There isn’t a circle in Hell sufficient to punish scabs. I grew up in southern Illinois, a place of farms and coal mines. Unions, in particular the United Mine Workers and the Teamsters were blue collar unions and let’s just say they were blunt. So were other unions, so I was mystified when Reagan somehow got unions on his and the GOP’s side and convinced working class Americans that unions were a problem. And in fact went about systematically BUSTING unions! Well, the tide seems to be turning back and United Auto Worker’s Shawn Fain delivered a fiery endorsement of President Joe Biden yesterday.

In the process he clearly called out Trump, even pointedly labeling Trump as a SCAB!

I saw some clips last night of Fain’s speech, and again this morning. This means something. In fact it could mean something huge as this election plays out. Michigan is going to be a crucial battleground state. Again. It is also, and always has been the heart of the American auto industry and therefore the UAW. So a little while ago I decided to check out how this is being covered in Michigan and if the Detroit Free Press article is any indication President Biden is now in an awfully strong position there. A position I might add will likely carry over into other “rust belt” states. Including Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

The President put things plainly when accepting the endorsement saying “The days of working people being dealt out of deals in this country are over as long as I am president.” President Biden went on to say:

“It’s a simple proposition,” Biden said following a fiery speech by UAW President Shawn Fain drawing stark comparisons between the president and his overt support of unions and former President Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee, who has attacked UAW leadership over the years. “You built these companies. … You deserve to benefit when these companies thrive.”

Did you notice that part about Fain’s speech being “fiery?” Here’s a good sample for you:

Again, Wow!  And that’s only some of what Fain had to say. I should also note that while naturally he focused on the UAW Fain sprinkled in references to all working class Americans. Numerous other unions have long since endorsed President Biden but the UAW, one of the most significant had held out. They said their endorsement would have to be earned. Well, Fain laid out a strong case while not just the UAW but ALL working class Americans can trust Biden and should support him. At the same time he made an equally strong case on why they can’t trust Trump, and in fact that Trump will work not for regular Americans but for the billionaire class:

Calling Trump a member of the “billionaire class” that works to divide workers — and recalling remarks made by Trump in his first campaign that he would move jobs to states where autoworkers made less as a way to put pressure on workers to accept reduced wages in more unionized states — Fain said it was the union’s duty to elect someone who supports labor, not someone “who will divide us every step of the way.”

Want more. Okay. Fain went on after that to say:

“That’s the choice we face,” he continued. “It’s not about who you like; not about your party. It’s not about this bull—- about age. It’s about taking back power for the working class. … Donald Trump is a scab. Donald Trump is a billionaire and that’s who he represents. … Donald Trump stands against everything we stand for as a union. … This election is about who will stand with us and who will stand in our way.”

It was one helluva speech Fain gave. He spoke in plain, blunt terms. For decades working class Americans including many in big unions have supported the GOP. For me the “What’s the matter with Kansas” question (why do they keep voting for politicians/a Party that openly opposes their interests?) applies even MORE so to working class people including rank & file union workers?  As I said, from the time the Teamsters got into bed with Reagan it’s never made any sense. The GOP gleefully went about union busting, and pushing “Right to Work” laws in numerous states. What it meant in practice was right (assuming one could get a job at all) for less money as there was a race to the bottom. Jobs that weren’t moved overseas started getting moved to states where companies could pay workers less and provide fewer (if any) benefits!

As I said, for union workers in particular the rank & file support for any GOPer makes no sense at all. But the mentality that the GOP would, maybe if not now “soon” reward them got parked deep in their minds. Human nature is such that we don’t like admitting when we’re wrong. We especially hate admitting, if only to ourselves that we’ve been suckered. So, Biden and Democrats have literally been fighting human nature in trying to win back support of working class Americans. However I think, and certainly at least hope that Fain’s speech will continue to get attention.  You can read the full text here on the UAW website and you should. You should also send it to any working class Trump acquaintances you’re still in touch with. (I’ve got a handful who can’t for the life of them understand why I’m not a Trump guy and of course I can’t understand why they are!)

Let’s hope other unions are sending that link to the UAW website to their members, AFTER a clip (I’m sure they’ve got people who can edit that short part from the longer video) of Fain calling Trump a SCAB!  It’s a tougher sell to convince people you know in working class communities that good union pay and benefits lift up everyone else. That’s something I’ve dealt with for decades, even from my own sister. Complaints about union workers pay and benefits. Especially for those approaching or already at/past retirement age remind them of how things were when they were young, before Reagan and union busting changed things. As unions were busted or weakened, so were wages and benefits, and other protections for everyone else. Remind them of how by the 1990s everyone was complaining about working longer hours for less money!

Well, this has gotten longer than I had hoped. I do thank you for reading. I will also ask you to indulge me by watching Fain’s entire speech. If you want to see the “scab” part you can jump to the 5 and a half minute point but the whole thing is worth watching. And if you happen to be a union worker or know someone who is, encourage them to make this get shown at their next meeting. And to have repeated viewings periodically right through election day.

Unfortunately, the media and even YouTube and CSPAN is doing its best to HIDE these awesome nine-and-a-half minutes. They only want to show bits and pieces. Well f**k them. The Daily Beast did manage to grab a clip of CSPAN before they only began offering a two minute blurb of Fain’s speech. Do yourself a favor. If not now, then sometime today find ten minutes and watch the whole thing. I promise it will worth your time. And that you WILL encourage others to watch it, especially people you know who live in those small town/rural American white working class communities.