Biden Probably Can’t Stop a Strike Against Big 3 Carmakers
- Union-friendly president is under pressure to back pay demands
- But Big Three car giants are crucial for his green transition
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The looming strike at America’s Big Three automakers leaves President Joe Biden caught between two of his top policy goals – a greener car industry and a labor revival – with little sway over the outcome.
The United Auto Workers union says it’s ready to call stoppages if there’s no wage deal by Thursday night. Union demands and company offers remain far apart. All Biden can do is cajole both sides to avert a strike that could cost him politically. The president has “encouraged the parties to stay at the table,” his chief economist Jared Bernstein said Wednesday.