Staff Reports
The United Auto Workers (UAW) are rolling out a red-carpet campaign for Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 election, rallying their 1 million retired and active members to cast their votes for the presumed Democratic nominee. This push comes on the heels of UAW president Shawn Fain’s endorsement, and while the union’s top brass is laying on the charm for the vice president, the real question remains: are the workers really buying what their leaders are selling?
As polls show the heat rising between former President Donald Trump and Harris, it seems that the rank-and-file union members are increasingly not aligning with their leadership. Pollster Frank Luntz has observed a jaw-dropping trend: when members of the UAW express their sentiments, it appears they’re secretly donning their MAGA hats. Excluding government and teachers’ unions, the typical union worker is leaning towards Trump, reflecting a mindset that veers away from how union elites like to portray them.
Frank Luntz tells CNN Donald Trump is doing better among union members and trade workers than any Republican has in decades. pic.twitter.com/QyVl7Jt4TF
— Dominic Michael Tripi (@DMichaelTripi) August 14, 2024
Luntz highlights a key point: many union workers who navigate life paycheck-to-paycheck do not resonate with the upper-echelon’s narrative of being ‘working class.’ Instead, they are stating for the record that union leadership is out of touch with what really matters to them. This revelation suggests that, for the first time in ages, rank-and-file workers are not just grumbling behind closed doors; they’re expressing their discontent loud and clear. Encouragingly for Trump, this revelation signals a shift in loyalty that could very well play a pivotal role in the upcoming election.
It’s quite the sight to behold when the workers who literally build America’s economy start to say that their voices have been drowned out by union leaders, who often seem more interested in pleasing the Democratic Party than representing their members. The reality is apparent: Trump is resonating with these workers in a way that no Republican has for decades, specifically among tradespeople who sweat for their paychecks. This is music to the ears of a campaign desperately in need of a boost among a powerful voting bloc.
The narrative being pushed by the UAW may be ambitious, but workers seem to be ready to take their votes back from the clang and clamor of union propaganda. As the face-off between Trump and Harris heats up, the reality of the workers’ sentiments could send shockwaves through the traditional union-voting landscape, potentially flipping it upside down. If the battleground states truly reflect the workers’ perspectives rather than their leaders’, the outcome of the election could be anything but predictable.
