On September 15, the United Auto Workers began a targeted strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis (the conglomerate that includes Chrysler) in an effort to secure higher wages, a four-day work week, and other protections in the union’s next contract. The strike is a huge development for American workers, but it’s also a big deal for President Joe Biden—these car companies are central to his green-infrastructure agenda. The union wants assurances that the industry’s historic, heavily subsidized transition toward electric vehicles will work for them, too.

Biden, whose National Labor Relations Board has been an ally of labor organizers in fights against companies such as Amazon and Starbucks, has called himself “the most pro-union president in American history.” He has expressed support for the UAW’s cause (workers “deserve their fair share of the benefits they helped create,” he said last week) and has sent aides to Michigan to assist in the negotiations.

  • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    37
    arrow-down
    33
    ·
    9 months ago

    The “most pro union president in history” made it illegal when rail workers were set to strike for better wages and conditions and safety.

    -A leftist.

    • StarManta@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      13
      arrow-down
      7
      ·
      9 months ago

      The sad part is that one severe fucking of a union don’t even come close to costing him the top spot. The bar is just so low.

    • TheJims@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      23
      arrow-down
      18
      ·
      9 months ago

      Are sure about that friend? Because in reality a economic nightmare of a railroad shutdown was avoided and with the help of the Biden Administration rail workers got what they’ve what they were trying to get for decades.

      Reality

      • VentraSqwal@links.dartboard.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        9 months ago

        Kind of… He gave them a small part of what they asked for and didn’t touch the biggest stuff, like PSR. 4 days is better than 0, but still doesn’t cover the breadth of what they could’ve gotten if the strike had been allowed to continue and they were allowed to negotiate without interference.

      • VentraSqwal@links.dartboard.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        4
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        9 months ago

        Kind of… He gave them a small part of what they asked for and didn’t touch the biggest stuff, like PSR. 4 days is better than 0, but still doesn’t cover the breadth of what they could’ve gotten if the strike had been allowed to continue and they were allowed to negotiate without interference.

        • UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          9 months ago

          “We’re very happy about this. We’ve been trying to get this for decades,” said Artie Maratea, president of the Transportation Communications Union. “It was public pressure and political pressure that got them to come to the table.”

          From that article. I’m going to trust that opinion over yours

      • Ech@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        9 months ago

        Pointing out past actions isn’t even close to “whataboutism”.

          • Ech@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            ·
            9 months ago

            You mean quietly getting them less than what they were fighting for after publicly undercutting their efforts against the companies?

            Also, still not “whataboutism”. It’s literally pointing out what the same person did in the past regarding the same issue. Historical context is important and necessary to consider.

            • UrPartnerInCrime@sh.itjust.works
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              9 months ago

              Whataboutism is literally bringing up other situations to either undercut or overlook a situation that happened. Biden is literally taking steps to further Union support, and people are saying “yeah well what about this time he wasn’t perfect”

              Idk dawg, seems like text book whataboutism to me

        • purahna@lemmygrad.ml
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          9 months ago

          Yes it is, whataboutism is defined as when a leftist says something that a liberal doesn’t like. This is exactly that.