UNITED STATES President Joe Biden was set to join a United Auto Workers (UAW) union picket line in Michigan earlier today.

It’s reportedly the first time that a sitting US president has joined a picket line.

The move by Mr Biden came on the 12th day of the strike taken by UAW against the Big Three car makers: Ford, General Motors and Stellantis.

President Biden showed his support for the UAW one day before former president Donald Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, is set to visit Detroit to hold his own event even though union leaders have denounced the rightwinger as no ally to their cause.

Mr Biden has argued that the car companies have not gone far enough towards giving workers more of a share in their record profits.

On Monday, Mr Biden said: “I think the UAW gave up an incredible amount back when the automobile industry was going under. It saved the automobile industry.” 

He said that workers should benefit from carmakers’ riches “now that the industry is roaring back.”

Last week UAW president Shawn Fain made it clear that “this battle is not about the president, it’s not about the former president. Their involvement is a mischaracterisation. They’re not involved in negotiations.”