President Joe Biden wants a contract between UAW and Big Three that 'sustains the middle class'

(FOX 2) - Another player is weighing in on the contract negotiations between the United Auto Workers Union and Big Three automakers of Detroit: Joe Biden.

The president called both parties to come together to find a new agreement that both prioritizes a transition to cleaner energy to reduce vehicle emissions, and a contract that "sustains the middle class."

"The middle class built America, and unions built the middle class. The need to transition to a clean energy economy should provide a win‑win opportunity for auto companies and unionized workers," read a statement from the White House this week.

Biden called for Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to ensure the jobs negotiated with the UAW can support a family while honoring the right ot organized. They should also avoid plant closings and prioritize transitions that are "fair and look to retool, reboot, and rehire in the same factories and communities at comparable wages."

The contract between autoworkers, whose union represents about 150,000 employees, and the carmakers expires in September. 

So far, UAW President Shawn Fain has been very public about his feelings toward Ford, GM, and Stellantis, going as far as literally throwing a contract proposal with the third automaker in the trash. The move didn't sit well with its chief operating officer. 

MORE: 32-hour work week, double-digit wage increases among 'ambitious list' of UAW demands for Big 3

Fain hasn't shied away from what the UAW wants, presenting an "ambitious list" of demands that range from a major wage increase to a restoration of Cost-of-Living Adjustments.