The UAW Leadership Is Hurting Its Members

Jul 31, 2024

The United Autoworkers Union (UAW), the labor union that represents unionized autoworkers in the United States, has supported the Democrat Party and endorsed Democrat candidates in elections dating back to its inception. They are continuing this self-defeating practice in their endorsement of alleged Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

However, this support has become increasingly self-defeating for the union and its members. So, the question must be asked: Is the UAW's leadership really representative of that union's rank-and-file? And, if not, why aren’t the members seeking, at least, to replace the fat cats at the top with people who don’t bend over and take it from the Democrat Party?

The Democrat's Shift Towards Globalization

One of the main reasons why the UAW's support for the Democrat Party is self-defeating is the party's shift towards globalization. Historically, the UAW has been a strong advocate for protectionist trade policies, which aim to shield American industries and workers from foreign competition (it almost sounds like “America First,” right?).

However, the Democrat Party has increasingly embraced globalized trade policies, which prioritize the global economy over the interests of American workers.This shift can be traced back to the presidency of Bill Clinton, who signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993. NAFTA, which eliminated trade barriers between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, was widely criticized by labor unions, including the UAW, for its potential to lead to job losses in the US automotive industry. Yet the UAW continued to support Democrat candidates in elections. Why?

The Democrats' continued support for globalized trade policies has been a significant source of tension between the party and the UAW. For example, in 2016, the UAW opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement negotiated by the Obama administration that would have further opened up US markets to foreign competition. Despite the UAW's opposition, the Democrats continued to support the TPP, which ultimately failed to pass due to opposition from both parties, but predominantly Republicans, in Congress.

This divergence between the UAW's protectionist stance and the Democrat Party's pro-globalization policies has led to a growing disconnect between the two, with the UAW's support for the Democrats becoming increasingly self-defeating.

The Democrats' Opportunistic Shift
Toward Big Money Silicon Valley

Another reason why the UAW's support for the Democrat Party is self-defeating is the party's growing embrace of AI automation and technology as a means to boost economic growth and competitiveness. The Democrats have long championed the adoption of new, controllable technologies and markets, such as electric vehicles and autonomous driving systems, arguing that both create jobs and promote economic development.

But, while these technologies may hold promise for the future, they also pose significant risks to the UAW and its members in the present. Automation, in particular, has the potential to displace large numbers of workers in the automotive industry, as companies seek to reduce labor costs and improve efficiency.

The UAW has been vocal in its opposition to the rapid adoption of automation, arguing that it will lead to significant job losses and wage stagnation for its members. However, the Democrat Party has largely ignored these concerns, continuing to promote the adoption of new technologies as a means to drive economic growth, placing more importance on the big bucks coming out of Silicon Valley to their campaign war chests than on the voters who make up the UAW.

This disconnect between the UAW's labor-focused priorities and the Democrat Party's technology-centric (read: moneygrubbing) approach has further eroded the union's support for the party, making their alliance increasingly self-defeating. Yet, again, the UAW leadership continues to endorse Democrat candidates. Why?

The Democrats' Failure to Address Income Inequality

Income inequality has been a pet issue for the Marxists on the far-Left of the Democrat Party. The gap between the rich and the poor has widened in recent decades, primarily due to Washington, DC’s addiction to reckless spending and the government’s enslavement to Keynesian economics.

The issue of wage disparities is of particular concern to the UAW, whose members have seen their wages stagnate and their job security erode in the face of globalization and automation, and all while their union leadership eats high off the hog off of the rank-and-file’s union dues.

Despite the Democrats' hollow progressive rhetoric on income inequality, elected Democrats have failed miserably to deliver on this issue for the UAW workers; in any way that helps the UAW’s rank-and-file. While Democrat politicians pay lip service to the struggles of working-class Americans – often pulling from Marxist text to pit one class against another, their policy proposals and legislative achievements have done nothing to alleviate the economic challenges faced by UAW members and other workers. In fact, their policies have made these challenges even worse.

This failure by Democrats to address wage gaps on behalf of unionized workers has contributed to the growing disillusionment of UAW members with the Democrat Party. As the party continues to prioritize the interests of wealthy donors and corporate lobbyists over the needs of working-class Americans, the UAW's support for the Democrats has become increasingly self-defeating. Yet, again, UAW members continue voting for Democrats in elections. Why?

Democrats Ignore The Decline
of the American Auto Industry

The American automotive industry has faced significant challenges in recent decades, with the rise of foreign competition and the decline of domestic manufacturing contributing to job losses and wage stagnation for UAW members.

Despite these challenges, the Democrat Party has been an abstract failure in mounting an effective response, instead choosing to prioritize other policy priorities, social issues, and political alliances, all in the effort to cobble together fifty-one percent in elections and for the sole purpose of attaining and maintaining power.

For example, the Obama administration's 2009 auto industry bailout, which was intended to save General Motors and Chrysler from bankruptcy, was widely criticized by the UAW for its failure to prioritize the interests of workers. The bailout primarily benefited the companies' shareholders and executives, while offering little in the way of job protection or wage increases for UAW members.

This inadequate response to the challenges faced by the American automotive industry has further eroded the UAW's support for the Democrat Party, making their alliance increasingly self-defeating.

The Democrats Green & EV Infection

The Democrat Party's embrace of green energy and electric vehicles has set the stage for great harm to the rank-and-file auto industry workers.

First, the Biden/Harris/Obama 2.0 forced transition to electric vehicles requires a significant shift in manufacturing processes, which has led to job losses in the auto industry – both unionized and nonunionized. In fact, most of the electric vehicles being sold in the United States benefit companies and corporations based in communist China.

Second, electric vehicles require fewer parts (most of which are manufactured overseas) and less maintenance, reducing the demand for workers in the automotive repair and maintenance sectors. Furthermore, electric vehicle batteries rely heavily on rare earth minerals, the mining of which is often associated with labor exploitation and environmental damage. This shift is also creating a dependency on foreign countries for these critical minerals, leading to job losses in the domestic auto industry and the US energy sector.

The rapid adoption of electric vehicles by Biden/Harris/Obama 2.0, has been poorly thought through and without proper planning. It has resulted in significant disruption and job losses within the auto industry. Again, the Biden/Harris/Obama 2.0 forced transition to electric vehicles benefits not the rank-and-file of the UAW, but foreign entities and the global elite.

Yet, and I say again, UAW leadership continues to support the Democrat Party while UAW members continue to vote for Democrat candidates. Why? Why?!

Putting The Proverbial Gun In Your Mouth

The United Autoworkers Union's support for the Democrat Party in elections has become increasingly self-defeating because the Democrats' policies are anti-union; they are globalist and opportunistic in nature.

All the hollow rhetoric that can be spewed by Democrat leadership and candidates can’t hide the reality that their policies embrace globalization over protecting American industries; and technology and automation over labor.

Democrats have utterly failed UAW workers on the issue of wage disparity, and its inadequate response to the challenges faced by the American automotive industry has further damaged UAW households from coast to coast.

As the UAW continues to grapple with these issues, it is increasingly clear that its alliance with the Democrat Party is no longer serving the best interests of its members. To truly advocate for the needs and concerns of American autoworkers, the UAW must break free from the constraints of its association with the Democrat Party and forge a new path forward, one that prioritizes the well-being of its members above all else; one that puts “America First.”

Now, where have I heard that before?