A6 July 20-21, 2024
The Herald-Palladium
NATION
Trump uses false claim to call for UAW president to be fired
By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer
ter Trump’s speech, with the The union won big raises last U.S. auto industry from “com-
union calling Trump a “scab” fall after limited strikes at all plete obliteration, which is
and saying on the social me- three Detroit automakers.
happening right now,” he said.
DETROIT—DonaldTrump
made a pitch for votes from
key swing state autoworkers
during his acceptance speech
for the Republican presiden-
tial nomination, using false
claims to call on them to fire
their union president.
On Thursday night in Mil-
waukee, Trump said the Unit-
edAuto Workers union should
be ashamed for allowing Chi-
nese automakers to start build-
dia site X that he represents Trump and Biden both are There is no requirement for
billionaires, not workers. vying for an endorsement automakers to sell electric
“Scab” is a derogatory term from the 1.3 million-member vehicles under the Environ-
for workers who cross union Teamsters union.
picket lines and work during Realizing the importance greenhouse gas emissions
a strike. of autoworkers in swing state standards. But to meet the
mental Protection Agency’s
Fain weighed in Friday with Michigan, Trump and new standards, auto companies al-
a statement, saying Trump at- running mate JD Vance plan most certainly will have to sell
tacked the union in the name to visit Grand Rapids for a some EVs, which don’t emit
of protecting autoworkers. rally on Saturday. It will mark pollution from the tailpipe.
But Fain alleged that Trump Trump’s fourth campaign visit Even under the most opti-
did nothing as president in to the state since mid-March, mistic scenario in the EPA
Carolyn Kaster / AP file photo 2019 when General Motors when he secured enough GOP regulation, electric vehicles
ing large factories just across Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump closed a small-car factory in delegates to be the party’s would make up 56 percent of
the border in Mexico, from speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 18 in Lordstown, Ohio. Fain also nominee. total U.S. new vehicle sales
which they will ship cars to Milwaukee.
the U.S. without any taxes.
said Trump did nothing when The Grand Rapids rally will in 2032. The rest would be
autoworkers went on strike be his first campaign event combustion engine or hybrid
At present, though, industry president said.
Chinese companies, though, against GM during his term, since he accepted the Repub- gas-electric vehicles.
experts say they know of no Jeff Schuster, vice president have long expressed desires to Fain said.
lican Party’s official nomi- But given slowing EV
such plants under construc- of automotive research for an- enter the lucrative U.S. mar- “He wants to pad the pock- nation at the just-concluded sales, that projection looks
tion, and there’s only one alytics firm Global Data who ket. During his speech, Trump ets of the ludicrously wealthy Republican National Conven- pretty rosy. The EV share of
small Chinese auto assembly tracks auto production, said welcomed them, saying Chi- auto executives. He wants tion. Trump gave a speech in total U.S. new vehicle sales
factory operating in Mexico. he knows of no Chinese auto nese auto factories would be to cut the corporate tax rates the city in early April.
dropped to 7.1 percent in the
It’s run by a company called assembly plants under con- built in the U.S., or he would of his golfing buddies,” Fain During his acceptance first half of this year. It was 7.6
JAC that builds inexpensive struction in Mexico and said double or triple tariffs on each said. “He wants autoworkers speech, Trump also said he percent for all of last year.
vehicles from kits for sale in Trump’s claims were “clearly car, making them unsellable to shut up and take scraps, not would end what he called the EV sales are growing,
that country.
exaggerated.”
in America.
stand up and fight for more.” Biden administration’s “elec- though.
From
January
“The leader of the United Although Global Data ex- President Joe Biden earlier The UAW endorsed Biden’s tric vehicle mandate” on the through June, automakers
Auto Workers should be fired pects Chinese automakers this year slapped tariffs on reelection bid in January, just first day of his second term, sold 597,958 electric vehicles,
immediately and every single such as BYD and Chery to Chinese imported goods, in- a few months after the Demo- diverting money set aside for up about 6.8 percent from the
auto worker, union and non- set up plants in Mexico in the cluding electric vehicles.
union, should be voting for future, it hasn’t happened yet, The UAW and its president, General Motors workers on infrastructure projects.
Donald Trump,” the former Schuster said. Shawn Fain, fought back af- the picket lines near Detroit. Such a move would save the com.
cratic president joined striking tax credits to spur EV sales to same period a year ago, ac-
cording to Motorintelligence.
Department of State
Elections & Campaign Finance
Administrative Rules for Electronic
Voting Systems
Rule Set 2024-19 ST
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Friday, August 16, 2024 10:00 AM
Room 1100 of the Binsfeld Office Building
201 Townsend St. Lansing, MI 48933
e Department of State will hold
a public hearing to receive public
comments on proposed changes to
the Electronic Voting Systems rule set.
e proposed revisions to the rules
update the terminology to account for
technological advances since
The Associated Press
the existing rules were promulgated
in 1979; for example, the proposed
revisions account for the qualified
voter file, electronic pollbooks,
tabulators, Voter Assist Terminals
(VATs), on-demand voting
Laticia Wright operates a bus for the Central Ohio Transit Authority on July 3 in Columbus, Ohio. Reports of crime against transit workers
and passengers have been rising since the pandemic erupted in 2020, when millions of Americans suddenly avoided subways and
buses. Their exodus left transit workers more isolated and vulnerable to attacks.
Yoga, meditation and prayer
systems, and other parts of the existing
technology used currently.
don’t have no protection.”
she may have post-traumatic York-Downstate.
Urban transit workers
cope with violence
and fear on the job
With transit workers trying stress disorder. “I find myself In Europe, some buses in-
to manage their stress over looking at every white SUV clude a cockpit that com-
the threat of violence, some that passes by my car or my pletely encloses the driver.
unions and transit agencies bus now,” she said. “Are they So far, that’s uncommon in
By authority conferred on the Secretary
of State by sections 21, 31, 32, 37, 509ii,
794a, 794c, and 797b of the Michigan
election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.21,
MCL 168.31(1)(a), MCL 168.32(1),
MCL 168.37, MCL 168.509ii, MCL
168.794a(3), MCL 168.794c, and MCL
168.797b.
are seeking ways to reduce going to start shooting?”
violence and ease anxieties. To help relax, Wright re- feeling vulnerable.
In NewYork, a transit union ceives chair massages offered “I’m still afraid, but I try to
began offering free relax- through work. But her main be strong,” said Acosta De
the U.S., leaving bus drivers
By CATHY BUSSEWITZ
Associated Press
NEW YORK — In a dim- ation, yoga and meditation coping mechanism is prayer. Avalos, the driver who was
ly lit room strung with fairy classes, which began after a In tense situations, she tells beaten in Omaha. “But when
lights and ivy, transit workers subway operator’s throat was herself: “OK, God. Take the somebody starts screaming, I
file in and lie on inflated cots. slashed. The victim was treat- wheel. Calm this situation don’t feel good. The anxiety.”
Soothing piano notes play as ed at a hospital and released. down. Calm me down.”
a teacher rubs their ankles “Being bus operator, Transit workers and offi- harsher penalties for attacks
and toes. you’re pretty much worried cials largely blame lingering on transit workers.
Her union is calling for
a
e proposed rules will take effect
immediately aꢀer filing with the
Secretary of State. e proposed rules
are published on the State of Michigan’s
website at www.michigan.gov/ARD
and in the 8/1/2024 issue of the Michigan
Register. Copies of these proposed
rules may also be obtained by mail
or electronic mail at the following
email address:
“Breathe in,” she says. about everything at every effects of the pandemic for “I have a gentleman now
“Think of a balloon, filling up moment of every day…so the increased violence. Af- that is deathly afraid to drive,”
with fresh energy. Your spine you don’t really get a chance ter COVID-19 struck, many said Chris Nanke, who leads
dropping into softness.”
to relax,” said Grace Walker, transit agencies let riders hop Transit Workers Union Local
The relaxation class, held a New York City bus driver. on for free. People struggling 223 in Omaha. “He has been
at a union hall for New York “You’re driving a pretty big to stay housed rode buses for assaulted and threatened half
City transit employees, is one machine, and you have a lot shelter. More riders over- a dozen times.”
way transportation workers of customers’ lives at risk.”
dosed on drugs.
This spring, the Federal
are managing fear and anx- Walker, who attended the Now, transit ridership na- Transit Administration im-
iety over a rise in violent relaxation class, said it helped tionally is at 75 percent of posed stricter requirements
crime on public transit. Con- her decompress.
cern has grown after a series Transit agencies in Omaha ing to the American Public agencies must submit to re-
of attacks against bus drivers, and elsewhere are teaching Transportation Association. ceive federal funding. The
subway operators and station de-escalation techniques to Transit workers endure agencies must now include
agents. help drivers defuse potential disproportionately high lev- an equal number of frontline
pre-COVID levels, accord- on the safety plans transit
Reports of crime against confrontations. If a passen- els of anxiety, depression transit workers and manage-
transit workers have been ger makes offensive remarks, and stress-related illnesses, ment representatives on the
rising since the pandemic for example, the driver is including heart disease and committees that draft safety
erupted in 2020, when mil- coached to remain respectful musculoskeletal disorders, plans.
lions of Americans bypassed and quiet. Among other steps, according to a review of doz- Officials in Columbus cre-
subways and buses to avoid some unions are pushing for ens of studies published in ated a response team trained
COVID-19, leaving transit partitions to isolate drivers the Journal of Transport & in mental health, addiction
Comments on these proposed rules may
be made at the hearing, by mail, or by
electronic mail at the following addresses
until 8/16/2024 at 05:00PM.
workers more isolated.
and protect them from as- Health.
and de-escalation which can
Bureau of Elections
P. O. Box 20126, Lansing, Michigan,
48901-0726
Although many riders re- saults.
“Sometimes it’s not just be dispatched to buses if a
turned, the rate of violent as- “My barriers are always the severity of the traumatic passenger becomes danger-
saults on subways and buses up,” said Laticia Wright, who experience – it’s the frequen- ous.
remained elevated.
was driving a bus in Colum- cy, said Alexis Merdjanoff, Several years ago, some
Nationally, the rate of re- bus, Ohio, last August when co-investigator in a transit transit systems installed bar-
ported major assaults against bullets flew through the wind- worker study conducted by riers on buses. But they don’t
transit workers rose 47 per- shield, just missing her head. New York University. “The completely enclose drivers.
cent from 2020 to 2023, “I look at people’s hands and verbal abuse is much more New York’s transit author-
according to an Associated their movements when they frequent, and we’re noticing ity is testing barriers that
e public hearing will be conducted in
compliance with the 1990 Americans
with Disabilities Act. If the hearing is
held at a physical location, the building
will be accessible with handicap parking
available.
Press analysis of Federal get on my bus.”
Transit Administration data. None of the bullets struck on anxiety and depression roof of the bus. On subways,
By contrast, reports of over- Wright. But broken glass and overall mental wellbe- it’s considering adding cam-
all violent crime in the Unit- did. She was so traumatized ing.” eras inside operator cars.
that it has a really big impact stretch from the floor to the
ed States have dropped every that she stayed home for European researchers found Gov. Kathy Hochul deployed
year since 2020, FBI data three weeks and spoke dai- that bus drivers, especially 1,000 officers to check bags
shows.
“We’re in the line of fire ev- an employee assistance pro- the highest risks of heart dis- “I’ve had people pull a knife
ery day,” said Blanca Acosta gram. ease or high blood pressure out just for telling somebody,
De Avalos, a bus driver in in “I had to really just put it of any occupational group, ‘Can you please turn the ra-
Omaha, Nebraska, who was behind me,” she said. said Paul Landsbergis, a spe- dio down?’” Wright said. “I
ly with a counselor through urban drivers, face among in the subways.
Anyone needing assistance to take part
in the hearing due to disability may call
517-335-3234 to make arrangements.
severely beaten three years Nearlyayearaftertheshoot- cialist in occupational health just wish that there was more
ago by a passenger. “We ing, Wright’s doctor thinks at State University of New security for us.”
