Americans may reject radical climate policies like the Green New Deal, but President Biden continues to use his office to advance that vision and to appease powerful allies like the unions. Most recently, he signed yet another executive order, this time targeting vehicle emissions and supporting the increased production of electric, hydrogen-fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The new order sets the ambitious goal of these vehicles making up half of U.S. sales in 2030.
The order doesn’t mention unions, instead generically promising, “This will allow us to boost jobs — with good pay and benefits — across the United States” but a pro-union message was made clear by who the president invited to the signing. Elon Musk, the founder of the most American-made electric vehicle (EV) company, was not invited to the White House event. According to some sly implications by the White House press secretary, Musk was snubbed because Tesla’s workforce is not union-represented, unlike those of General Motors Co, Ford Motor Co, and Stellantis, the three companies represented at the event and the three largest employers of the United Auto Workers Union.