On August 5th, President Joe Biden issued an executive order establishing a goal of having 50 percent of zero-emissions vehicles by 2030.
“America must lead the world on clean and efficient cars and trucks,” said Biden. “That means bolstering our domestic market by setting a goal that 50 percent of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in 2030 be zero-emission vehicles, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric, or fuel cell electric vehicles.”
The Executive Order continued:
My Administration will prioritize setting clear standards, expanding key infrastructure, spurring critical innovation, and investing in the American autoworker. This will allow us to boost jobs — with good pay and benefits — across the United States along the full supply chain for the automotive sector, from parts and equipment manufacturing to final assembly.
The Wall Street Journal described this executive order as electric vehicle welfare with “…Big Business colluding with Big Government to grab subsidies and raise consumer prices.”
One statement supporting the executive order from United Auto Workers (UAW) President Ray Curry urged attaching the Protecting the Right to Organizing (PRO) Act to this mandate.
“Any auto industry transition to alternative fueled engines must be paired with passage of the Stabenow Amendment and passage or an agreement to adhere to the policies of the PRO Act to ensure these jobs of the future will protect UAW members, their families, and our American middle class,” Curry said. “The Senate needs to pass the PRO Act and get it to the President’s desk for signature.”
Notably absent were Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and Tesla. The snubbing of the latter comes as no surprise since Tesla’s founder, Elon Musk, has questioned unionization.
That’s because President Biden wants electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing to be undertaken solely by unions like UAW. And attaching the PRO Act to this push is expected.
In a March 2021 white paper titled Making EVs Work for American Workers, UAW argued the PRO Act must pass to ensure full transition from gas-powered cars to EVs. They wrote, “Labor laws must provide a level playing field and give workers a voice on the job, which is why we are calling on Congress to pass the PRO Act.”
While UAW claims the PRO Act will level the playing field for EV workers, the opposite is expected.