Michigan Democrat says strike is between companies and UAW: ‘It’s not about President Biden’’

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) told reporters that she thinks the strike between autoworkers and the car- and truckmakers should stay between them, and that President Biden should keep his distance.

Dingell’s district encompasses the Ford manufacturing plant, where employees in the United Auto Workers (UAW) union went on strike last week. Workers are asking for increased pay and better protections as the industry transitions toward electric vehicle production.

“This is between the companies and the UAW,” she told the Washington Post. “It’s not about President Biden. It’s not about presidential politics.”

“Reporters are politicizing the strike, reducing the argument to ‘Biden versus Trump,’” Dingell said.

“I think these political stories are simply taking away the spotlight from workers and what they’re asking for and why it matters,” she told the Post.

Former President Trump, the front-runner for the GOP’s presidential nomination next year, has leaned into the strike as he readies for a possible general election campaign against Biden.

Trump is expected to skip the second Republican primary debate and travel to Detroit next week to speak about the strike. He has criticized the UAW leader but has sought to win over union voters as supporters.

Dingell said she is going to treat Trump’s Michigan visit as a political stunt and hopes Biden won’t get sucked into it.

“I’m going to make it very clear what Donald Trump’s record is, which has been anti-union — [he] doesn’t care about the workers, doesn’t care about pay, wage increases, benefits, keeping jobs here in this country,” Dingell said.

About 13,000 UAW members are striking against Ford, Stellantis and General Motors.

UAW President Shawn Fain and the union have not endorsed Biden. Dingell said it’s because he has been “singularly focused on these negotiations.”

Fain has threatened further strikes will begin Friday if the companies can’t make “serious progress” on negotiating a contract.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.