According to The New York Times, autoworkers in Michigan are concerned that their employment may be at risk due to President Joe Biden’s initiatives advocating for the switch to electric cars (EVs).
The president’s support of electric vehicles (EVs) has angered some autoworkers who are members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union because the products require less labor to produce, which could result in the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in the manufacturing sector as well as in related industries like trucking and insurance, according to the New York Times. Although Biden has prioritized union support throughout his campaign and as president, the heavily unionized auto sector opposes his plan to have 50% of all new car sales in the United States come from electric vehicles by 2030.
An autoworker at a Ford plant west of Detroit, Michigan, named Tiffanie Simmons informed the New York Times of her disappointment with Biden’s advocacy for electric vehicles. “We rely on you to ensure that jobs for Americans are available.”
Recently, in an attempt to maintain the support of autoworkers, Biden has shifted his EV campaign with promises to loosen regulations on tailpipe emissions that would have accelerated the transition to zero-emission cars over the next five years.
According to the NYT, Simmons believes that because EVs have the potential to kill jobs, they are incompatible with the interests of blue-collar workers. Though Biden has deceived her, she refuses to vote for the outgoing president Donald Trump because she views him as a mere “entertainer.”
Nelson Westrick, an autoworker at the Ford facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan, north of Detroit, told the New York Times, “It’s terrifying right now with the entire electric push.” “This electric crap will kill thousands and thousands of jobs.”
As part of his effort to win over union support for his 2024 presidential candidacy, Trump chose to speak to plumbers, electricians, and autoworkers at a rally in September 2023 in Detroit, Michigan, rather than attending the second GOP presidential debate. In July, the former president also unveiled a campaign ad criticizing Biden’s support for “green new deal” initiatives like the EV transition and requesting the UAW’s backing.
Trump met in January to discuss “serious concerns” with both high-ranking and low-ranking members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Trump nearly won Minnesota in the 2016 election, but he lost both Wisconsin and Michigan.
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