Detroit, Michigan - The United Auto Workers (UAW) announced on Wednesday that its international executive board had voted to back Kamala Harris for president, delivering a powerful endorsement from a key labor union.

"Our job in this election is to defeat Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris to build on her proven track record of delivering for the working class," UAW President Shawn Fain said in a statement.

"We stand at a crossroads in this country. We can put a billionaire back in office who stands against everything our union stands for, or we can elect Kamala Harris who will stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our war on corporate greed. This campaign is bringing together people from all walks of life, building a movement that can defeat Donald Trump at the ballot box," he continued.

"For our one million active and retired members, the choice is clear: We will elect Kamala Harris to be our next President this November."

The UAW initially endorsed President Joe Biden in 2024, but the incumbent Democrat bowed out of the race last month due to concerns over his age and fitness for office.

"I am honored to receive the endorsement of the United Auto Workers. From walking picket lines to taking on big banks, I have spent my entire career fighting for unions and working families – and, as President, I will continue to deliver for organized labor," Harris wrote on X after the announcement.

The union's endorsement came ahead of Harris' planned rally in Detroit on August 7. She is expected to be joined on a tour of swing states next week by her 2024 running mate, who has not yet been announced.