Unsurprisingly, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have continued their politics-as-usual silence on some crucial matters. One striking instance is that of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union, whose intriguing praise for the Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on imported vehicles has been met with a glaring lack of response from the current administration. The UAW, in a pivot from their habitual political trajectory, embraced this action—sensitive to the potential boon it could offer the working-class communities which have been steadily eroded over several decades.
In an inexplicable move, the UAW declared the tariffs as the long-due termination of an over-three-decade-long free trade debacle. This refers to the complicated and deeply flawed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and its equally complex successor, the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The Biden administration’s soundless reaction to this outcry from UAW further exposes their aversion towards making decisions that could benefit the working class. Some might argue that this silence is a strategic diplomatic move; however, others deem it as an utter lack of interest in safeguarding U.S. national security interests.
What’s more startling is the audacious statement made by the UAW that these tariffs present a critical menace to U.S. national security. This marks a provocative way of spotlighting the inadequacies of current trade arrangements, yet the silence from our current political leaders seems deafening. Families across the country are suffering due to job loss and reduced wages, and yet who hears them? Is the economy not part of national security anymore? This era of silent leadership continues, regardless of the growing concerns among the public.
Consequently, the UAW showed rare appreciation for the Trump administration’s addressing of this dire issue, arguing that it spells the end for a commercial race to the bottom detrimental to the auto industry. The Biden administration’s seeming indifference towards this perspective, unfortunately, casts an unfavorable light on its commitment to ensuring equitable trade policies, making one wonder why Biden and Harris, who have championed working-class values in their speeches, do not share the same urgency when it comes to more practical matters.
One could argue that the Democrats’ quietude stems from their diverging political stances. It is, in fact, rather strange to consider how the UAW’s demands for stronger worker protection and a modification of the USMCA considerably clash with the Democrats’ previously stated political leanings. This could explain their silence: perhaps they are more concerned about avoiding internal conflict than ensuring a fair and just reality for the American working class.
The UAW carries a pressing demand that a larger share of vehicles sold within U.S. borders should be domestically produced with the promise of strong wages and favorable working conditions. This is not a frivolous demand out of blue, but a concrete hope to salvage the deteriorating working-class conditions and wages. Yet, instead of substantiating their promises with actions, Biden and Harris seem to remain complacent in their aloofness.
Furthermore, the UAW is promoting a comprehensive North American minimum wage to raise the pay standards for Mexican autoworkers and engender stronger shields against offshoring. This insistence upon better international labor standards is undeniably forward-thinking, yet it’s met with cold shoulders from our leaders. Where are their promises of improved wages and working conditions now?
What the UAW argues is this: the debated tariffs could trigger the immediate revamp of the auto industry, leading to the return of thousands of auto jobs to the U.S. Empirical data points to underutilized factories at Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis as potential job creation hubs. Yet, the silence rolls on—once again exposing the absence of the Biden-Harris administration’s will to act.
In the words of the UAW: the tariffs form a considerable leap towards a consistent positive change for blue-collar communities across the nation. So, while one might wonder why the Biden administration has nothing to say about an initiative that could drastically enhance the American working class’s living standards, the UAW seems undeterred in their stance.
Realistically, it is now up to the auto companies – from the Big Three to Volkswagen and beyond – to heed this call for change and work towards reinstating healthy union jobs back on U.S. soil. However, the guidance and cheerleading required to make this a reality are noticeably missing from our current administration. If the Biden-Harris administration won’t speak up for American jobs, who will?
There’s a final clause to the UAW’s argument: these tariffs shouldn’t burden the public. Instead, auto companies must bear the costs, with the federal government stepping forward to provide financial support to workers during periods of transition. Again, the question begs – where is the leadership that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris promised?
The post Biden and Harris Stay Silent as UAW Calls for Change: No Care for Workers? appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
