Joe Biden has promised to be "the most pro-union president" in American history. On Tuesday, he did something that his predecessors have shied away from, joining a group of striking union members on the picket line in Michigan.

Workers at Ford, General Motors and Chrysler's parent company, Stellantis, walked off their jobs on September 15. The United Auto Workers union is demanding higher wages for them to keep up with the soaring cost of living. Biden said they deserve a contract that "sustains" the middle class.

Biden told the workers, "You made a lot of sacrifices, gave up a lot when the companies were in trouble. Now they are doing incredibly well. And guess what? You should be doing incredibly well, too."

Biden has pushed for more electric cars, saying they will create employment opportunities. However, the UAW says the transition will cost jobs. It has held off on joining other unions in endorsing Biden for reelection.

Michigan is a so-called swing state that can shift from backing one party to another in any election. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race, is planning to visit on Wednesday. He has said that Biden's push to electrify vehicles will "annihilate" the industry and that the president is "stabbing" autoworkers in the back.