Shawn Fain, President of United Auto Workers (UAW), recently reiterated his endorsement for Trump’s contentious tariff strategy on the CBS show Face the Nation, aggressively advocating for the belief that this particular trade conflict would yield job opportunities for the American workforce. The tariff strategy will impose a 25% tariff on all automobiles manufactured overseas on April 2. Furthermore, another 25% tariff on essential auto components will be rolled out on May 3. The maneuver inevitably projects a substantial cost on companies that import these goods, as they will eventually hurdle these expenses onto the consumers by drastically elevating vehicle prices in the US market.
In the wake of increasing objections and concerns on the undermining of democratic rights, Fain maintains that the UAW remains committed to cooperating with the government on tariffs. This comes even as an executive order was put into effect on Friday, quite literally denying collective bargaining rights to hundreds of thousands of federal workers. This disturbing turn of events continued on the backdrop of unabated reports of US immigration officials forcefully deporting dissenters of the Gaza conflict. A subset of those facing this cruel fate includes student workers like Mahmoud Khalil.
While some may understand Fain’s unwavering promotion of heavy tariffs to be driven by a nationalist agenda, it bears mention that the UAW, under Fain’s leadership, appears to be a staunch advocate for capitalism and US hegemony. Moreover, their support for tariffs does not appear to be rooted in their potential to benefit ordinary workers. Fain’s signature criticism of ‘unfair trade laws’ seems more pointed at diverting any potential resentment from workers towards both himself and the wider UAW mechanism, a body that has, over the last 45 years, silently capitulated with corporations to obliterate hundreds of thousands of jobs and put several plants out of operation.
Even more worrisome is the fact that Trump’s tariff strategy seems less inclined towards rejuvenating domestic auto manufacturing and more geared towards gearing up US imperialism for another world war against its competitors. This disconcerting approach to trade neatly intertwines with the administration’s progressively hostile demeanor. This unsettling realization is provoking widespread resentment towards UAW’s apparent collaboration with the administration.
Fain’s controversial stance stirs negative sentiments amongst workers. As reported by the World Socialist Web Site, a Stellantis tech worker from Detroit shared their frustration. They voiced doubts over Fain’s chances of winning another term, given his current position. They argued that Fain had gone from being a ‘SCAB’ just six months ago to being celebrated for trade policies that inevitably escalate the likelihood of the country plunging into a recession or depression.
A Stellantis worker, based at the Jeep plant in Toledo, expressed their concerns regarding the current state of affairs. They shared an alarming anecdote in which they had to cease production multiple times due to difficulties in obtaining certain harnesses from across the border. The increasing number of such incidents has started to affect their working hours.
The same worker voiced apprehensions about the potential implication of the executive order on collective bargaining for federal employees. They perceived it as just the tip of the iceberg and suspected that these restrictions could eventually permeate into UAW organization. They warned that by the time workers become aware of these changes, it may already be too late.
Another worker from the Jeep plant expressly conveyed their dissatisfaction with Fain and their anxiety over how these circumstances can potentially lead to job terminations. They emphatically put forth a call to action, urging workers to disregard the nationalist propaganda peddled by individuals like Fain. This, they argue, only serves to sow divisions within the working-class communities and lays the groundwork for a potential world conflict.
For the preservation of democratic and social rights of the working class, this same worker advocated for the consolidation of the global workforce. They believed a collective struggle against the corporate elites to be the only feasible solution.