UAW members recall tense history with Mike Rogers during congressional tenure

As Mike Rogers campaigns for the open U.S. Senate seat, members of the United Auto Workers describe a strained relationship with the Republican candidate during his time in the U.S. House from 2001 to 2015. The UAW, along with the AFL-CIO and other unions, has endorsed his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, while Rogers has secured support from business groups and a coalition called Auto Workers for Trump.

Active and retired UAW members recounted tense meetings with Rogers’ office, particularly during the union’s biennial Community Action Program in Washington, D.C. Art Reyes II, former president of UAW Local 651, said Rogers challenged the union’s agenda in a 2003 meeting, leading to a letter from Rogers to then-UAW President Ron Gettelfinger describing the union’s leadership as confrontational and disruptive to dialogue.

Rogers’ campaign defended his record, stating that factory workers are concerned about healthcare and job risks under El-Sayed’s proposals. UAW members noted that Rogers often met with staffers rather than directly with union representatives, a dynamic that persisted until the end of his congressional career.

Read the full story at michiganadvance.com.