President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Sean O'Brien speaks on phase on the very first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Image: Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images)
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters stated it would decrease to back a governmental prospect for the very first time in years, mentioning that neither Vice President Kamala Harris nor Former President Donald Trump had actually concurred with its issues.
Purchase Costco and American Express stock as inflation cools, expert states
“Unfortunately, neither significant prospect had the ability to make severe dedications to our union to make sure the interests of working individuals are constantly put before Big Business,” Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien stated in a declaration. “We looked for dedications from both Trump and Harris not to interfere in vital union projects or core Teamsters markets– and to honor our members' right to strike– however were not able to protect those promises.”
It marks the very first time given that 1996 that the Teamsters has actually picked not to back a governmental prospect. In 2020, the union backed President Joe Biden and had actually formerly backed prior Democratic candidates, although it has actually backed some Republicans– like Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan– in the past.
Biden won the assistance of Teamsters members in ballot carried out previously this year, his follower was less well gotten. Simply 34% of Teamsters supported Harris in an electronic survey carried out in between June and September, while 31% supported the vice president in a phone tablet previously this month, according to the union. And although Trump won those surveys, his assistance amongst members was inadequate to exceed his policy positions.
Trump stated he would not dedicate to banning nationwide “ideal to work” legislation if he was re-elected to the White House, according to the Teamsters. On the other hand, Harris both slammed such laws– which avoid employees from being needed to sign up with unions as a task requirement or paying company charges for representation– and stated she supported the pro-labor Protecting the Right to Organize Act.
‘Right to work' laws just exist to attempt to eliminate labor unions,” Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman stated in a declaration. “It is a red line for the Teamsters and need to be for any union when a prospect for chosen workplace does not oppose such anti-worker legislation.”
Both Harris and Trump decreased to assure not to step in to require agreements in between employees and unions, which the Teamsters stated was a dealbreaker. In December 2022, Biden signed the Railway Labor Act in order to obstruct a nationwide train strike from a lots unions representing 115,000 employees.
