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Donald Trump To Visit Michigan This Week Amidst UAW Strikes

Former president Donald Trump is set to hold a rally in Michigan this week amid an ongoing strike by the United Auto Workers (UAW) labor union. Trump is scheduled to speak at Drake Enterprises Inc. at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, one day after President Joe Biden visited UAW picket lines at the GM Willow Run Distribution Center. Trump will hold the rally in lieu of attending the second Republican presidential primary debate.

Donald Trump’s rally is said to include “current and former union members,” and is reportedly available to attend by invitation only. Drake Automotive employees are not represented by the UAW.

Former president Donald Trump in 2018.

The former president is expected to make an appeal to workers by criticizing the industry-wide shift towards electric vehicles, a move that critics say may lead to domestic job losses.

“Auto workers are getting totally ripped off by crooked Joe Biden and their horrendous leadership, because these people are allowing our country to do these electric vehicles that very few people want,” Donald Trump said on social media earlier in September. “The union bosses don’t want to do anything about [the EV transition] because they’re not leaders. But you know who’s voting for me? The people in the union.”

Trump has attacked UAW leadership before, including UAW President Shawn Fain. Meanwhile, Fain has hit back at Trump, characterizing the former president as part of the problem workers face in securing adequate pay.

UAW President Shawn Fain addresses workers

“Every fiber of our union is being poured into fighting the billionaire class and an economy that enriches people like Donald Trump at the expense of workers,” Fain said previously in a statement. “We can’t keep electing billionaires and millionaires that don’t have any understanding what it is like to live paycheck to paycheck and struggle to get by and expecting them to solve the problems of the working class.”

Fain and the UAW has yet to formerly endorse President Biden for reelection. However, Biden visited UAW picket lines today, becoming the first sitting president in modern history to join a picket line.

The UAW announced it was striking all three of the Detroit Automakers (GM, Ford, Stellantis) following the expiration of labor contracts on September 14th. The UAW expanded its strike against GM and Stellantis last week, but not against Ford, citing substantial progress in contract negotiations with Ford. It’s estimated that roughly 18,300 UAW members are currently on strike, or 12 percent of the membership.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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