United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain met with the union's executive board late Thursday to debate his deep concerns about President Joe Biden's ability to defeat Donald Trump within the November election, three sources conversant in the matter said.
Fain called together top officials from the nearly 400,000-member union to debate her concerns and the union's options, in response to the sources, who asked to not be identified. The union is currently considering its next steps, the sources said.
Fain and the UAW, which endorsed Biden in January, are key Biden allies and are expected to play a vital role in helping Biden win in key swing states, including Michigan, where the UAW relies.
Biden and Trump have each made several appearances in Michigan to court voters, particularly those employed by U.S. automakers resembling Ford Motor FN, General Motors GM.N and the Jeep maker. Stellantis.
UAW Communications Director Jonah Furman and the Biden campaign team declined to comment.
Fain, who announced the UAW's support for Biden in January, has repeatedly rebuked former Republican President Trump.
“Donald Trump goes against everything we stand for as a society,” Fain said in his endorsement of Biden in January.
On Wednesday, Biden met with the manager council of the AFL-CIO, the most important U.S. labor federation, to bolster support for unions. Fain attended the meeting.
“I consider you my national NATO – this is no joke,” he said. Biden also thanked union leaders for his or her support and shared his plans for the longer term to dispel doubts about his re-election campaign.
Fain endorsed Biden after the president joined a union during a six-week autoworkers strike last 12 months that resulted in historic wage increases for employees at Detroit's three automakers. Biden was the primary U.S. president to march with striking employees. Fain was also mentioned by Biden at this 12 months's State of the Union address, which Fain attended.
Biden, who calls himself probably the most union-friendly president in U.S. history, has recently put a variety of pressure on leading union leaders to realize support from his base.
Biden is facing growing calls to step down as Democratic nominee after his shaky debate performance raised questions on his mental fitness for the office. For nearly two weeks, Biden, 81, has tried to contain defections from Democratic lawmakers, donors and other allies who fear he could lose to Trump, 78.
At least twelve Democrats within the US Congress have to date called on Biden to desert his re-election campaign. On Wednesday, actor George Clooney, a Democrat who had supported Biden, withdrew his support in an op-ed within the New York Times.
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