Michigan auto workers and labor leaders gathered Friday morning to oppose Republican nominee Donald Trump’s visit to Diamondale, Michigan later that day. The group gathered with a very clear message: Donald Trump would a “disaster” for Michigan.
Former Congressman Mark Schauer and several members of the local United Auto Workers Association attacked Trump’s statements about moving car production outside of Michigan, his failure to release his tax returns, and said Trump is not on the side of the American workers.
But they also touched on points Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has been hitting for months. With vendors setting up Trump gear nearby, President of the UAW Local 652 Mike Green said, “He’s talking about products? Why don’t you just look right over here to these products, they got Trump on it. All the boxes say ‘made in China’ what kind of message is that sending here?”
Lansing autoworker Anita Dawson praised President Obama for turning around the economy, but cautioned that the progress could be reversed.
“Now we have a choice,” she said. “Do we continue our recovery? Or do we go back to the same economic policies that cost so many Michiganders their jobs during the recession?”
Schauer also took shots at Trump. He accused Trump of, “disrespecting American workers” and attacked Trump policies he said would cost auto workers jobs.
“Donald Trump would be a disaster for Michigan,” he said. “A disaster for workers. A disaster for hard working families and a disaster for Michigan’s economy.”