President Joe Biden on Tuesday joined a picket line with striking autoworkers in Michigan, supporting their call for a 40% pay raise and saying they deserve a “lot more” than they are getting.

Biden’s appearance, the first visit by a U.S. president to striking workers in modern history, comes a day before Donald Trump, the Republican front-runner for president, will speak to auto workers in Michigan. The rare back-to-back events highlight the importance of union support in the 2024 presidential election, even though unions represent a tiny fraction of U.S. workers.

Democrat Biden traveled to a Belleville, Michigan, parts distribution center owned by General Motors (GM.N), and joined dozens of picketers outside. “Companies were in trouble, now they’re doing incredibly well. And guess what? You should be doing incredibly well, too,” Biden said through a bullhorn. “Stick with it.”

    • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      They are when it comes to wages.

      The federal minimum wage has been 7 bucks for fifteen years. Both sides have had a total majority with the presidency in that time frame.

      Literally the same.

        • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          I’m sorry guaranteeing healthcare for tens of millions of Americans with the 2 years they had government control wasn’t enough for you.

          … is it enough for you?

          • guacupado@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            You’re moving the goalpost. Is it enough? No. But there’s one party where it happened and another party that literally did everything they could against it. Both parties are definitely not the same.

            • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
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              1 year ago

              I don’t think both parties are the same. I think they’re both bad and we’re fucked no matter who wins, but I can admit America will collapse slower under Democrats. I guess that’s preferable.

              I’m still voting for Cornell West. Nyaa nyaa~

      • paultimate14@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Just going to ignore how Biden has asked Congress to legislate a higher minimum wage and issues an executive order requiring a higher minimum wage for Federal contractors?

        The Democrats have only controlled Congress and the presidency at the same time for about 4 months in the past 4 decades, beginning in September 2009. Before then… idk it would have been before Reagan. When was the last time the minimum wage increased? 2009.

        “Both sides are the same” is a Republican talking point.

        • be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          “Both sides are the same” is a Republican talking point.

          Can’t be said enough.

          Find someone telling you how both sides suck, and then look what it’s in reply to. It’s always, ALWAYS to deflect from Republican shortcomings or to deflect from positive news about Democrats.

          A-L-W-A-Y-S.

          • goldenlocks@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            That’s not true. Biden took away railroad worker’s right to strike. He is only pretending to support the UAW strike.

      • Fraylor@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        Whew, good thing we are able to make such broad sweeping generalized comparisons based on a single issue.