Former Vice President Mike Pence declared that Americans should have a right to join a union or not join a union during the Republican primary presidential debate on Wednesday night.

Pence made his pronouncement when asked about the current United Auto Workers (UAW) strike in Michigan and how he supports workers while still supporting the companies they strike against.

“Joe Biden doesn’t belong on the picket line, he belongs in the unemployment line,” Pence began. Look, I’m from the second-leading manufacturing state in the country per capita. I was governor of the state of Indiana. We brought 12,000 factories back to America during our administration. I know something about manufacturing.”

President Joe Biden addresses striking members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) union at a picket line outside a General Motors Service Parts Operations plant in Belleville, Michigan, on September 26, 2023. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Pence then said that the current union bosses have missed the main object of their ire: President Joe Biden’s economy and his appeasement of China with the Green New Deal.

“Wages are not keeping up with inflation. Auto workers and all American workers. Families are struggling in the economy,” he said. “Joe Biden‘s Green New Deal agenda is good for Beijing and bad for Detroit. We got to appeal the Green New Deal.”

Pence concluded with a promise to fight for both union workers and individual workers who do not wish to join a union.

“As President of the United States, I’ll be standing with workers all across America and I’ll be standing for the right to work and for every American to join the union or not join the union as they decide,” he concluded.

Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.