Mark McManus
When Donald Trump was first elected president, he invited me into the White House during the first days of his Administration and promised that he would pass the largest infrastructure bill in generations. He claimed to be a builder, just like us. But after four years, one thing was clear: when it comes to the bread and butter issues our members care about – fair wages, safe jobsites, and the ability to retire with the dignity we earned – Donald Trump is just another fraud. President Trump did not just stop at failed promises. During the Trump Administration, the hardworking men and women who build and maintain this country came under attack. President Trump tried to weaken registered apprenticeships by forcing through IRAPs; he tried to gut the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and appointed an anti-union and anti-worker General Counsel to undo the safeguards that protect working families; and he continued to outsource jobs to help himself get rich and pay off his debts.
Simply put: As President, Donald Trump continued his career-long practice of stiffing workers so that he could get rich.
Our members across this country and in the great state of Michigan know that Donald Trump does not care about working men and women. It was President Trump who passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 that didn’t just help the rich get richer; it eliminated the ability to write off union dues. Simply put: As President, Donald Trump continued his career-long practice of stiffing workers so that he could get rich.
We were proud to lead the charge to eliminate the anti-worker Right-to-Work laws in Michigan, and to reinstate the state’s prevailing wage protections. We are even more proud to stand with the only candidate in this election who has the courage to stand with us: President Joe Biden.
Mark McManus is General President for the United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) General President.
