The General Executive Board of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced on Wednesday that it will not endorse any candidate for the U.S. Presidency. After conducting six months of member polling and nearly a year of roundtable interviews with major candidates, the union found a lack of significant commitments on key issues from both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to publicly released data, President Joe Biden had garnered support from Teamsters in straw polls conducted at local unions between April and July before he withdrew from the race. However, subsequent independent polling between July and September showed that a majority of the voting members preferred Trump for a potential endorsement over Harris.
The union’s polling results indicated no majority support for Harris and no consensus for Trump among its members. Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien expressed disappointment that neither candidate was willing to make firm commitments aimed at prioritizing the interests of workers over corporate interests. The union had sought assurances from both candidates to refrain from interference in crucial union campaigns and to respect members’ rights to strike, but these commitments were not secured.
O’Brien emphasized the union’s goal of transparency and inclusivity in representing its diverse membership, which includes Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. He called on Teamsters members to participate in the upcoming election and to stay politically engaged, noting that no presidential candidate has met the necessary criteria for the union’s endorsement.
During discussions, members from the railroad and airline sectors raised concerns about government interventions that impede their ability to negotiate effectively. While 10,000 Teamsters at United Airlines are currently in contract negotiations, many railroad Teamsters have had to accept contracts imposed by Congress without their approval. Neither Trump nor Harris provided guarantees against similar interventions during their meetings with union members.
Harris has pledged to support the PRO Act, a crucial labor legislation aimed at enhancing union protections, and has criticized detrimental “right to work” laws. In contrast, Trump did not commit to opposing future national “right to work” legislation. Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman highlighted that such laws threaten labor unions and are a pivotal issue for the labor movement.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, founded in 1903, represents 1.3 million hardworking individuals across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. For further details, visit Teamster.org.