UAW endorses Harris, says rally planned with the VP in Detroit next week

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a "MI First Vote" rally Southfield, Mich. on Oct. 15, 2022. (Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance)

Updated, 6:29 p.m., 7/31/24

Vice President Kamala Harris reeled in a major endorsement Wednesday as the UAW International Executive Board voted to endorse her presidential bid.

“Our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to build on her proven track record of delivering for the working class,” stated UAW President Shawn Fain. “We stand at a crossroads in this country. We can put a billionaire back in office who stands against everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed.” 

The UAW had previously given a strong endorsement to President Joe Biden, but until Wednesday had not said whether that endorsement would extend to Harris, who has already secured the pledge of enough delegates to next month’s Democratic National Convention to become the official nominee. 

In an appearance last week on MSNBC, Fain said the union planned to take its time and carefully consider its options.

“We want to have fruitful discussions when we meet, and I think it’s important we do that. We owe that to them,” he told host Jen Psaki.

Wednesday’s announcement ended that speculation, as the union said Harris’ “historic candidacy builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s proven track record of standing with the UAW and delivering major gains for the working class.”

The union also announced that on Wednesday, Aug. 7, the day after Michigan’s primary election, Harris will campaign in Detroit to “rally with UAW members, Michigan voters, and thousands of working class people who are fighting for a better future.”

While specific details on the Detroit visit were not released, the union said Harris will also meet with UAW members and leaders to hear from them directly about issues of importance to workers in Michigan.  

Harris for President Campaign Manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez also issued a statement, saying Harris was honored to receive the UAW’s endorsement as she has fought for unions and working families her entire career.

“Vice President Harris is no stranger to fighting for unions. From walking a picket line with striking UAW workers to casting the deciding vote for the Butch Lewis Act and taking on big banks to protect over $300 million in union retirement funds as California’s Attorney General, Kamala Harris has a long, proven record of delivering for unions and organized labor. As President, Kamala Harris will continue to fight like hell for union workers and their families,” said Chavez Rodriguez. “Workers across the country have so much at stake in this election. Donald Trump will gut workers’ rights, ship jobs overseas, and give tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of working people. With the immense organizing power of the UAW at her side, this campaign will reach out to auto workers across the country and send Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.”

In its release, the UAW noted Harris’ long record of supporting the labor movement including voting “against unfair trade deals that hurt the American worker like NAFTA and NAFTA 2.0, the USMCA.”

Harris had already lined up several key union endorsements prior to Wednesday’s UAW announcement, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the United Farm Workers (UFW).

This story has been updated to include a statement from the Harris campaign.

SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX