The board of the Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters stated that it could make no presidential endorsement this cycle.
Sean O’Brien, the final president of the Teamsters, stated in an announcement, “Sadly, neither main candidate was in a position to make severe commitments to our union to make sure the pursuits of working individuals are at all times put earlier than Large Enterprise. We sought commitments from each Trump and Harris to not intrude in important union campaigns or core Teamsters industries—and to honor our members’ proper to strike—however had been unable to safe these pledges.”
The choice got here after the union launched polling knowledge of its members displaying that Donald Trump was favored by 58% for endorsement, and Kamala Harris was favored by 31%. The ballot was carried out by Lake Analysis Companions.
In an announcement, the union stated that “in depth member polling confirmed no majority assist for Vice President Harris and no common assist among the many membership for President Trump.”
O’Brien broke with longtime custom and spoke on the Republican Nationwide Conference this summer time.
Harris had met with the board earlier this week, and Trump earlier this 12 months.
The union credited Harris with pledging to signal the PRO Act, a longtime piece of the laws that will strengthen protections for unions, however the union famous that neither she nor Trump would promise to not intervene to power railroad contracts underneath the Railway Labor Act. Trump, in the meantime, wouldn’t decide to veto nationwide “proper to work” laws if he returned to the White Home, the union stated.
A union official advised that was why Trump, regardless of majority assist of members, did not garner an endorsement.
Fred Zuckerman, common secretary treasurer of the Teamsters, stated that proper to work legal guidelines are “a crimson line for the Teamsters and have to be for any union when a candidate for elected workplace doesn’t oppose such anti-worker laws. It’s too essential a difficulty for the labor motion as an entire to be left as much as state legislatures.”
