On Tuesday, President Joe Biden showed his support for the strike on auto workers in Michigan, becoming the first sitting American president to join a picket line.
Biden's trip to Detroit is just days before former president Donald Trump delivers a speech in Detroit. Trump will skip the second Republican presidential debate to address auto workers.
Nearly 13,000 auto workers went on strike, including workers in Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio. The manufacturing plants are known for their high-quality vehicles, such as the Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler and Chevrolet Colorado. On Friday, workers from parts distribution centers of General Motors and Stellantis joined the walkout. Union leaders are asking for a wage hike of 36% over four years to match the pay hike for top executives.
The UAW's claim is that workers agreed to lower wages at the time of the auto industry crisis, but wages have never returned to previous levels, while profits and executive pay have not been reevaluated. The automakers have proposed 20 percent raises over four-1/2 years.