UAW president who backed Biden and Harris for president calls for cooperation with Trump.

On Sunday, in an op-ed, UAW president Shawn Fain stated that his union was prepared to collaborate with President-elect Donald Trump.

"Since the 1980s, blue-collar manufacturing workers in the American working class have been under attack, with corporate America shutting down plants and cutting thousands of jobs, according to Fain in The Washington Post."

Trump has prioritized labor policy, immigration, tariffs, and working-class voters in his campaign and political platform since 2016. Despite this, not all labor union leaders, such as Fain, have consistently supported Trump, with Fain previously endorsing outgoing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

"In 2016, Donald Trump capitalized on the bipartisan betrayal and addressed the frustration of workers, as stated in Fain's op-ed titled "As UAW President, We're Ready to Collaborate with Trump.""

"Despite his pledge to fix the system, the renegotiated NAFTA, or the USMCA, did not solve the problem. Since its passing, the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico has increased, and thousands of blue-collar jobs have continued to leave the country."

During her 2024 presidential campaign, Fain endorsed Harris, stating that American voters had a choice between electing a billionaire who opposed their union's values or choosing Kamala Harris, who would fight alongside them against corporate greed.

In his RNC speech, Fain's comments prompted a harsh response from Trump.

"In July 2024, Trump stated that the leader of the United Auto Workers should be fired immediately and that every autoworker, union and non-union, should vote for him because he would bring back car manufacturing and do it quickly."

"Despite supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election, we have consistently stated that our fight remains the same regardless of who is in the White House. In his Sunday op-ed for a D.C. media outlet, Fain wrote that Trump's campaign promise to use the six-year renegotiation clause of the USMCA to pursue a "much better deal," specifically targeting the auto industry, aligns with our belief that the USMCA needs to be fixed."

Despite policy differences with Trump, Fain hopes to find common ground on revamping our trade policies and revitalizing U.S. manufacturing.

"Trump has stated that free trade has been devastating for the American working class, and Fain agrees. The corporate class has exploited American workers, and it's time to renegotiate trade deals to benefit workers. The UAW is prepared to support any politician or administration that prioritizes workers' rights over corporate interests."