Largest US Labor Union Declines to Endorse Trump or Harris

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which claims to be the largest US labor union has voted not to endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. This is the first time since 1996 that the union refused to endorse a candidate.

Issues with US Labor Union

Representing some 1.3 million members across the US and Canada, the Teamsters said neither candidate spoke adequately to the issues that mattered most to their members. The US Labor union did not discern “definitive support” among its own members for either Harris or Trump, though recent polls indicated many Teamsters prefer him.

It was a major decision because an endorsement from the Teamsters might have helped mobilize voters in the key battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin-which are the states that all come down to when winning the election-and Teamster members are well-represented there.

Mixed Reaction From Teamsters

Soon after the US Labor union issued a public endorsement, regional councils representing some 750,000 Teamsters in several states including Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and California made public endorsements of their own. The Harris campaign began generating attention to this through claims that she has broad and vital support from organized labor.

According to Lauren Hitt, Harris’s campaign spokesperson, this is just something she would least have wanted to say: Harris has been on the side of labor movements all through her career; unlike Donald Trump, who has been vicious on statements about striking workers. Harris walked the picket lines with striking workers; this event underlines her commitment to labor rights.

Leadership Dynamics

Politically, representatives come from truck drivers to warehouse employees and air pilots. Since assuming the office in 2022, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien has contacted more of his constituents, holding a private meeting with President Trump at the latter’s Mar-a-Lago residence. Some US Labor union members who want the organization to affiliate in the old way want the populism being practiced by elements of the Republican Party to desist.

O’Brien made headlines earlier this year when he spoke to the Republican National Convention, publicly praising Trump but refusing to give an endorsement. Some of his moves annoyed rank-and-file members and sparked the infighting in the first place. In response to the leadership of O’Brien, the Teamsters National Black Caucus and several local unions made public statements endorsing Harris. That is the split among US labor union members.

Recent Polling

The latest round of polling reported an even greater majority of rank-and-file Teamsters saying they favored Trump. A post-Republican National Convention survey found close to 60 percent of members wanted to endorse Trump, while about 34 percent favored Harris. But the US Labor union said that “its polling did not include a majority for either candidate” and credited this factor with its decision not to endorse.

The Trump campaign was quick to exploit the fruits of the union’s polling; even without a formal endorsement, many Teamsters want Trump back in the White House, they said. It shows that the Teamsters might have complex issues within its ranks.

Meeting with Harris

In a meeting of recent weeks, Harris met with Teamsters leadership as she vetted her platform and sought the endorsement. Her meeting with O’Brien was reportedly tense; in fact O’Brien said she could find not much of a difference between the answers she gave and those that Biden gave. Biden had previously positioned himself as a strong leader for labor rights, having past experience involving actually walking a picket line.

This administration has undertaken efforts for and in aid of unions. In doing so, it has deepened the pension funds of Teamsters with an enormous amount. Nonetheless, there were indications that Teamsters would not be voting for Biden in his reelection also.

It comes as a huge blow for both Harris and Trump in this election; the Teamsters have declined to endorse either of the presidential candidates. When closer to the election date and when the stakes are high, the fractured opinions in Teamsters may emerge as a decisive factor for the election outcome. Going forward into election campaigns, one expects both candidates to up their game in influencing labor voters especially within election battleground states.

FAQs

Q: Why did the Teamsters choose not to endorse a candidate?
A: The Teamsters didn’t see strong commitments on the issues they care about from either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, and neither is a clear choice of their membership.

Q: How many members does the Teamsters union represent?
A: There are around 1.3 million members of the Teamsters union in the United States and Canada.

Q: What does the Teamsters’ decision mean for the election?
A: It means one less endorsement in key battleground states, which might work against Harris because Teamsters members here are significant.

Q: What did polls indicate among Teamsters members?
A: Recent polls indicated about 59.6% support for Trump and 34% for Harris among Teamsters members.

Q: What has Biden done to support unions?
A: Biden has taken policies for the unions and even walked a picket line, making a pitch to himself and the union as a pro-labor president.

But in this uncertain political landscape, the actions and endorsements of major US Labor Union-Teamsters and others will be critical as both parties strategize to win over that electorate.