Previously, the UAW, which represents round 391,000 members throughout a number of industries, most prominently auto staff, had agitated for federal EV tax incentives to be for less than union-made EVs, one thing which made overseas automakers mad as a result of it could have been a aggressive drawback, as a result of solely the Big Three are unionized within the U.S. That specific provision didn’t cross, in any case, although one which did as a part of the Inflation Reduction Act was that EVs that get the tax credit should be American made.
Shortly earlier than the IRA was lastly enacted in August, the UAW, nonetheless, launched an announcement saying that it’s good.
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 is a crucial invoice for our nation and dealing households. It makes vital investments in U.S manufacturing to assist guarantee new autos and rising applied sciences and are inbuilt America for many years to return, lowers the prices of life-saving medicine and well being care insurance coverage, tackles local weather change in a significant means, and reduces the deficit.
That, nevertheless, was earlier than a altering of the guard on the prime of the UAW, with Shawn Fain being sworn in as the brand new UAW president in March, having ousted incumbent Ray Curry earlier this 12 months in an election. Fain ran for the UAW presidency on a platform of shaking issues up and difficult the powers that be, most instantly automakers forward of contract negotiations this summer season.
But additionally, apparently, throughout the Democratic institution as nicely. From Reuters on Wednesday:
United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain stated the Detroit-based union just isn’t but endorsing President Joe Biden for a second time period, citing issues about electrical car insurance policies.
In a letter to members seen by Reuters on Wednesday, Fain famous a number of nationwide unions had been fast to endorse Biden however the UAW just isn’t but doing so.
“The federal government is pouring billions into the electric vehicle transition, with no strings attached and no commitment to workers. The EV transition is at serious risk of becoming a race to the bottom. We want to see national leadership have our back on this before we make any commitments,” Fain stated.
[…]
The letter famous that the UAW will enter contract talks on behalf of 150,000 staff at General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler-parent Stellantis. Fain stated the Detroit Three “are making record profits while workers get left behind. We’ll stand with whoever stands with our members in that fight.”
Fain stated the union will probably be “ready to talk politics once we secure a future for this industry and the workers who make it run.” He stated “another Donald Trump presidency would be a disaster. But our members need to see an alternative that delivers real results.”
Fain’s reference to different unions endorsing Biden quickly after he introduced his run for reelection was a shot at SEIU, which has round two million members and endorsed, and IBEW, which has round 775,000 members and endorsed, in strikes that felt fairly professional forma.
If and when Joe Biden wins the Democratic major to run for reelection once more, the UAW will doubtless endorse him as nicely, if not earlier than. Not doing so proper off the bat not less than offers the UAW a little bit extra leverage, and probably even an even bigger voice for the rank-and-file, or not less than one can dream. That’s what Fain stated he was going to do, in any case.
Source: jalopnik.com