BALTIMORE, July 12 (Reuters) - United Auto Workers

President Shawn Fain on Friday criticized Donald Trump's U.S.

presidential candidacy and praised President Joe Biden without

ever using his name or repeating the union's January endorsement

for his re-election this fall.

"It's clear that Donald Trump in the White House would be a

complete disaster for the working class," Fain said at the

Netroots Nation conference in Baltimore. Fain criticized Trump

by name several times during his 16-minute speech that focused

on the working class.

Fain then praised Biden without naming the president whose

shaky performance in a debate last month had some fellow

Democrats calling for him to drop his re-election bid.

"We've got a president in the White House who wants to stand

with the working class and we've made incredible gains over the

past 3-1/2 years with this president," Fain said.

The UAW's backing of Biden came into question after Reuters

reported, citing sources, that the union's executive board late

on Thursday met to discuss concerns with Biden's ability to

defeat Trump in the November election.

The sources said the UAW was considering its next steps, but

another source familiar with the union's thinking said

rescinding its endorsement of Biden is not under consideration.

Fain and the UAW, which endorsed Biden in January, are

important allies of the president and are expected to play a

critical role as Biden campaigns to win key swing states

including Michigan, where the UAW is based and many of its

members live and work.

Asked in a Thursday evening news conference about the UAW's

reported concerns, Biden replied that the union had endorsed him

for president.

Biden and Trump have both made several appearances in

Michigan to woo voters, especially union workers employed by

U.S. automakers like Ford Motor ( F ), General Motors ( GM ) and

Jeep-maker Stellantis ( STLA ).

For nearly two weeks, 81-year-old Biden has sought to

stem defections by Democratic lawmakers, donors and other allies

worried he stands to lose to Trump, 78.

On Wednesday, Biden met with the executive council of the

AFL-CIO, the largest federation of U.S. trade unions, to shore

up support. Fain attended, and the AFL-CIO's executive council

unanimously reaffirmed its commitment to re-electing Biden.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler said on Friday that U.S. unions

were united behind Biden, adding the president walks the picket

line with workers whereas Trump crosses them.

"We are standing strong with President Biden and Vice

President Harris because they've stood strong with us," she told

reporters on Air Force One. "I think UAW members know the

difference between these two candidates."

Fain and the UAW backed Biden in January after the president

joined a union picket line during a six-week autoworkers strike

last year that resulted in historic wage increases for workers

at the Detroit Three carmakers. Biden was the first U.S.

president to walk with striking workers.

Biden, who has characterized himself as the most pro-union

president in U.S. history, has recently leaned on labor leaders

to drum up support.