• xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    I think it’s clear that Harris is a better labor pick tha Trump but I think it’s stragically a mistake to do this before the convention and give up the leverage to force a better party platform. There may be things happening behind the scenes but Democrats have a long history of being underwhelming on labor issues (obviously they’re still better than the GOP though).

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Biden went down to the UAW picket line and addressed them personally. I don’t think it’s really all that surprising that they backed his personally chosen replacement.

      • NewNewAccount@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Biden also effectively sided with industry and against the labor unions in the 2022 railroad labor dispute. He’s not exactly squeaky clean here.

        • Rolder@reddthat.com
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          4 months ago

          Not entirely correct. They did force the railroad workers back to work yes, but, Biden continued to work with them after the fact and got them the sick days and shit they were looking for

          • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
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            4 months ago

            Biden continued to work with them after the fact and got them the sick days and shit they were looking for

            Nope. He only got them sick day(s). They wanted other things, mainly safety features so trains don’t crash as often. The sick days part was the most emphasized because it’s easier for laymen to understand, but Biden did not give them what they wanted.

            • Rolder@reddthat.com
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              4 months ago

              I’m not certain what exactly they were originally looking for but my point is more that trying to paint Biden as some anti union traitor is plain not factual.

        • Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          This was during a time when the US was finally getting back on its feet and “supply chain” excuses were starting to fade away…he did everything he could to prevent those shutdowns from crippling us again.

    • Hildegarde@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      As good as strategic endorsements are, its probably not feasible given union’s structure in the us. I’m not a UAW member, so I may be misinformed on specifics, but these things are usually done as a vote at a union convention, by union members who are volunteering to be a voting delegate on top of their normal job.

      Scheduling an emergency meeting to decide on endorsements pending a commitment from a candidate is not something you can reasonably do, especially when the voting membership are volunteers. Unions are democratic organizations, and can’t act quickly enough for strategic endorsements like you propose.

      Democrats in the white house means better members on the national labor relations board. That alone is enough to justify an endorsement even without any legislative concessions.