UAW president travels to New York to support Teamsters
(CBS DETROIT) - United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain left Detroit for a side trip to New York over the weekend to support the Teamsters as they work to negotiate a contract with the United Parcel Service.
Wearing his trademark zip-up white polo shirt with the UAW emblem, Fain appeared at a rally on Saturday, July 15, on Long Island, New York, alongside the Teamsters.
The visit comes after Fain made the headlines last week, when he opened contract talks with Ford and Stellantis by refusing to shake the hands of management officials, opting to shake the hands of his own UAW members instead.
Fain has used social media in the months since he was sworn in last March to rile up his auto worker membership and prepare them for a potential strike.
UPS workers have voted overwhelmingly to strike if an agreement isn't reached by the time their contract expires on July 31.
"From UPS to the Big Three, Corporate America continues to attack the working class in this country, and the Teamsters are teaching us all a lesson in fighting back," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a news release on the UAW website.
"The UAW stands in solidarity with our Teamster family and I'm traveling to New York to deliver that message straight to the hardworking Teamsters at UPS."
UAW negotiations are set to begin with General Motors this week.
The UAW's contracts with the Big Three automakers are set to expire just before midnight on September 14.
