Statement of UAW President Rory L. Gamble on Meeting with President-Elect Joe Biden, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris about the Economy

DETROIT – UAW President Rory L. Gamble met remotely with leaders from other unions, businesses and President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris earlier today. He issued the following statement:

“I want to thank President-Elect Biden and Vice President-Elect Harris for convening this important meeting today. Our nation and economy are at a crucial point right now given the rise in COVID-19 cases. Today’s discussion among labor and business leaders was a productive and honest discussion of the challenges we all face in manufacturing and business to wrestle control of a very difficult situation for our economy.

The UAW has had productive ongoing discussions with our Detroit-3 counterparts and other employers about protocols to keep our economy moving and at the same time make tough decisions to protect UAW members and all working Americans. But we all expressed today to the incoming administration an acute need for an immediate economic package for those hard hit by this pandemic, help for our states and our frontline providers and specifically to protect the health and safety of UAW members in the workplace. Testing, PPE equipment, and a plan for distribution for a vaccine, when available, are crucial as is the ability for workers, management and government to work together through this pandemic nimbly and efficiently in order to save lives.

I also expressed how much UAW members are working hard to do their part and follow protocols not just in the workplace but in their homes and communities as well. Together we all need to be ready for the difficult yet lifesaving decisions that lay ahead.”