DETROIT (WWJ) -- President-elect Donald Trump decisively won Tuesday's election, and carried Michigan — despite an extraordinary effort by the United Autoworkers Union to support Vice President Kamala Harris.
And Trump accomplished this with plenty of help from union workers, according to Cornell labor expert, Art Wheaton.
Wheaton says unions can rally, recommend and try to get out the vote — but at the end of the day this is a private, individual decision.
This campaign season, Trump in fact worked very hard to get union votes.
"They expected about 45% of the unionized workers voted for Donald Trump," Wheaton said, in an interview with WWJ Auto Beat Reporter Jeff Gilbert.
"How many of those were specific to auto? I am not sure, but he did have a lot more support than people would normally expect from the labor sector."
Wheaton said members look to their union to protect their jobs and win them raises, but they don't always look to union presidents for political guidance.
"You go behind closed doors and nobody knows who you vote for," Wheaton said. "So, you can make suggestions for that, but I don't think any company or any union member can promise to deliver votes from the union."
Wheaton said he does not expect this development to impact UAW President Shawn Fain's ability to lead the UAW going forward.
"He's still had a lot of great gains and he's got a lot of great contracts. That doesn't necessarily mean what one person says will influence someone else to vote your way," Wheaton said.
Wheaton told Gilbert he does expect Fain's relationship with the Trump administration to be combative.
Speaking with Gilbert just the day before the election, Berkeley Labor expert, Harley Shaiken said large voter blocks like UAW members can make a big difference in a tight race.
"I think the UAW impact could prove decisive," Shaiken said, in a Nov. 4 interview. "I think their efforts in Michigan could means Kamala Harris is the next president of the United States."
Obviously, that did not come to pass.