WASHINGTON — The UAW, amid the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and an ongoing federal corruption investigation, said it is endorsing Joe Biden for president in the 2020 election.
U.S. President Donald Trump has heavily courted auto workers in key states such as Michigan and Ohio, while Biden has touted his support for autoworkers when he served as vice president and his support of policies championed by unions.
“In these dangerous and difficult times, the country needs a president who will demonstrate clear, stable leadership, less partisan acrimony and more balance to the rights and protections of working Americans,” UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement on Tuesday,
The union said that in recent days it has been negotiating for enhanced safety standards over COVID-19 return-to-work policies.
“This issue demonstrates the need for presidential leadership to follow the guidance of science and give workers a seat in discussions over their safety and well-being,” the statement said. “Now it is time for workers to take their place at the table.”
Under the Trump administration, the union has been the focus of a multiyear federal corruption investigation that has so far resulted in charges against 14 people and guilty pleas from 13 of them. Former UAW President Gary Jones is expected to plead guilty to charges of embezzlement.
In the last presidential contest, the Detroit-based union endorsed Democratic contender Hillary Clinton in May 2016.
Automotive News and Bloomberg contributed to this report.
