UAW president says Biden has ‘history of serving others,’ while Trump ‘serving himself’

United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain doubled down on his support of President Biden on Sunday, arguing the incumbent has a “history of serving others,” while former President Trump has a history of “serving himself.”

“When you look at these two candidates, you know, Joe Biden has a history of serving others, and serving the working class, and fighting for the working class, standing with the working class,” Fain said during an interview on CBS News’s “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Donald Trump has a history of serving himself and standing for the billionaire class. And that’s contrary to everything that working-class people stand for.”

“When you look … at the issues during our contract campaign — retirement security, better wages, health care, wanting our time back, wanting our lives back — that’s what matters,” he continued. “That’s why 75 percent of the American public stood with the UAW in our fight. And I believe that’s why a huge majority of our members and working-class people will side with President Joe Biden in the upcoming election.”

Fain added he believes the percentage of UAW members who vote for Trump will be less than it was in 2016, stating, “And I believe the overwhelming majority of UAW members and working-class people, when the facts and the truth are put in front of them, will support Joe Biden for president.”

His remarks come just days after the UAW formally endorsed Biden’s reelection campaign. On Sunday, he pointed to the president’s solidarity during the union’s recent strike against the Big Three automakers.

“President Biden has always bet on the American worker and stood with the American worker, and he proved that during this presidency. He stood up with us; for the first time in U.S. history, we had a sitting president join striking workers on the picket line,” Fain said Sunday.

Biden joined striking autoworkers on the picket line in Michigan, making him the first sitting president to do so.

Asked what Biden needs to do to win the battleground state of Michigan, which is known for its outsized role in the U.S. auto industry, Fain said, “I think he has to keep doing what he’s been doing all along.”

The UAW’s endorsement was somewhat delayed, even as the union has historically supported Democratic candidates and backed Biden in the 2020 election.

Fain previously expressed concerns over the Biden administration’s efforts to transition to electric vehicles.

When asked if it is difficult to convince UAW members to support Biden in light of his push toward electric, Fain said, “Look, our, our union has a history going back — I, I saw a statement 54 years ago in 1970, UAW President Leonard Woodcock was talking about, we needed to get away from the internal combustible engine because it’s poisoning the environment.”

“Look, the UAW has always been at the forefront of environmental issues, and of working-class issues. The biggest thing to us is, no matter which way we go on this, we’re gonna have security for our members and for the working-class people,” Fain added, pointing to the assurances in the UAW’s new contract.

“So we’re not afraid of where we’re headed, no matter where this industry goes. Naturally, there’s work that has to be done with the infrastructure and things like that. But no matter where this heads, I know one presidential candidate will be behind us, and that’s Joe Biden. And I know another one that could care less about it, and that’s Donald Trump,” he added.