The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the most significant labor unions in America, has decided not to endorse a U.S. presidential candidate for the first time since 1996. With approximately 1.3 million members in the U.S. and Canada, the union expressed that it received “few commitments on key Teamsters issues” from either Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or Republican nominee Donald Trump. Additionally, polling among its members showed “no definitive support” for either candidate, despite two recent polls indicating strong support for Trump.
Setback for the Harris campaign
This decision poses a significant setback for the Harris campaign as it aims to attract working-class voters with less than 50 days until the election. An endorsement could have mobilized thousands of Teamsters living and voting in crucial battleground states like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Following the announcement, some regional councils representing over half a million members in states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, and California pledged their support for Harris.
The Harris campaign highlighted its backing from “the overwhelming majority of organized labor,” noting that many Teamsters locals have endorsed her. Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt remarked, “While Donald Trump says striking workers should be fired, Vice-President Harris has literally walked the picket line and stood strong with organized labor throughout her career.”
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Teamsters: A politically diverse union
The union’s members, which include freight drivers, warehouse workers, and airline pilots, are politically diverse. Since becoming general president in 2022, Sean O’Brien has attempted to connect with Republicans, reaching out to more populist figures such as Senators Josh Hawley and JD Vance, who is now Trump’s running mate. O’Brien also had a private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago and stated afterward that he felt he had a “good shot” at securing the union’s endorsement.
The board has also met with President Joe Biden prior to him stepping aside as the Democratic nominee, as well as third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. The union surprised Democrats by making its first financial contributions to their opponents in years, donating $45,000 to both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in February. Notably, O’Brien was the first Teamsters leader to address the Republican National Convention, where he praised Trump as “one tough SOB” but stopped short of endorsing him.
Teamsters voice frustration with O’Brien’s outreach to the right
Some Teamsters have voiced frustration with O’Brien’s outreach to the right. Recently, the Teamsters National Black Caucus and six local unions endorsed Harris independently and encouraged their members to support her. On Monday, Harris met with the Teamsters board for a long-awaited discussion that lasted an hour and a half. A report described the meeting as “sometimes tense,” although a Teamsters spokesperson disputed that characterization. During the meeting, Harris told Teamsters leaders, “I’m confident I’m going to win this. I want your endorsement, but if I don’t get it, I will treat you exactly as if I had gotten your endorsement.”
After Harris made her pitch, O’Brien remarked that “there wasn’t a whole lot of difference” between her answers and those given by Biden. Biden has frequently referred to himself as “the most pro-labor president ever,” citing policies that support worker organization and prioritize union labor for federal projects. He made history last September as the first U.S. president to join a picket line, participating in a strike with the United Auto Workers against major automakers. Additionally, the Biden administration provided $36 billion to support the Teamsters’ pension fund, preventing cuts to the retirement benefits of over 600,000 members. While O’Brien and other leaders have acknowledged Biden’s positive impact on unions, there were indications that the Teamsters would not endorse his re-election before he withdrew from the race in July.
Majority of Teamsters members favored endorsing Trump
On the day prior to their announcement of non-endorsement, the union released polling data showing that 59.6% of its members favored endorsing Trump, while only 34% supported Harris. A more recent poll indicated a similar preference for Trump, with 58% backing him against 31% for Harris. However, the union stated that its “extensive member polling showed no majority support for Vice President Harris and no universal support among the membership for President Trump.” The Trump campaign quickly seized on these poll results, asserting that while the Teamsters Executive Board did not make a formal endorsement, the union’s hardworking members clearly want Trump back in the White House.
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