Union leaders are supporting Harris-Walz - but some say members favor Trump

FOX 2 - Unions like the UAW have declared for the Harris-Walz ticket, but that doesn’t mean the rank and file membership is on board.

Both leadership and rank and file members about what the outcome may hinge on - and why members may be breaking ranks.

"We got good contracts for the working class," said LaShawn English. "But we have to do more."

English is the UAW’s Region 1 director, and spoke at a roundtable Thursday. She sat with Democrats running for the Michigan House, with the messaging fairly clear.

"When we’re talking as the union now," English said. "We make sure we're inclusive for everyone."

Unions like the UAW hold tremendous sway. Back in August, a spokesperson confirmed to FOX 2 that the union could boast 350,000 active and retired members in Michigan.

The leadership has declared for the Harris-Walz ticket. Assuming rank-and-file members follow suit – they could literally affect the outcome of the election.

As DNC Chair Jaime Harrison reiterated that point to union leaders Friday morning.

"Union workers may well make the difference in sending Vice President Harris to the White House," he said.

But just because union leadership has an idea - that is a far cry from assuming membership thinks the same way.

"The majority of the rank and file support Donald Trump," said Brian Pannebecker.

Hilary Golston, FOX 2: "You think the majority ..."

"Oh I’m positive of it," he said.

Brian Pannebecker, a retired UAW worker, is in the trenches and supports Trump. His anecdotal experience is that there’s far more support for the former president than union leadership ad Democratic operatives like to acknowledge.

"Why would you endorse someone that wants to destroy your industry which is exactly what Kamala Harris wants to do," Pannebecker said.

Dr. Marick Masters a labor expert out of Wayne State University.

"I think the chances are that Donald Trump has made more of an erosion in union rank-and-file support," he said. "You have issues that are causing the members to have concerns."

There’s always been about a third (of members) who were not going to vote for the Democratic candidate that has been endorsed by the leadership.

The question is when our state can come down to just thousands of votes. Like, the approximately 11,000  it took for Former President Trump to take Michigan in 2016.

How much can unions count on their members to tow the line… this time around?