Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien pushed again on the suggestion he spoke at the Republican Nationwide Conference in July to endorse Republicans, sustaining he was there to “highlight” the significance of American employees.
When requested on CBS Information’s “Face the Nation” if he spoke on the conference as a result of he feels former President Trump has been extra pro-labor than every other GOP candidates, O’Brien mentioned, “No, not at all.”
“I spoke there because it was the ability to highlight how important we are. It was the ability to call out the people, the corporate elitist who forget who built this country, the American workers,” O’Brien continued. “You know, people like to, you know, have their own opinions on why we were there, but I was there to talk about the American workers.”
O’Brien mentioned it was not “an endorsement for any and all Republicans” however “strictly a message” concerning the significance and worth of employees.
O’Brien was the primary Teamsters president to ever converse on the GOP conference, throughout which he slammed “elites” whose solely “loyalty is to the balance sheet.”
He additionally challenged the notion that unions ought to fall according to Democratic endorsements, saying “we have an obligation to do our due diligence” and “not just automatically support one side.”
O’Brien, in an unprecedented transfer, requested to talk on the Republican and Democratic conventions, however he in the end was not given one on the latter.
O’Brien mentioned the Democratic conference didn’t inform him why he was not allotted a slot eventually month’s occasion.
“And look, I’m going to say this, whatever the critics out there, and they’re very few, in the leadership. Whenever I get an opportunity to highlight the American worker, especially the Teamster worker, I’m going to take any and all venue,” O’Brien mentioned.
“We asked both conventions, respectively, at the same time, and the Republican National Convention immediately responded to us,” he added. “[It] didn’t try and edit any of our messages, and I was hopeful that the Democrats would do the same, but they didn’t. I’m not upset about it, but I can tell you this, my rank and file members, who have been lifelong Democrats, are not happy about it.”
Teamsters notably has not but endorsed a presidential candidate this cycle, breaking rank with various different massive unions which have endorsed the Democratic ticket.
The Teamsters head maintained the union is awaiting on Vice President Harris to seem for a roundtable with members. The Harris marketing campaign accepted the union’s invitation, although a date has not been introduced.
“I think historically, the teamsters have always endorsed after both respective conventions,” he mentioned. “This is a little different. This time, under our leadership, we brought every single candidate to the table in front of our rank-and-file members and our general executive board, and we’re waiting on Vice President Harris to commit to come meet with us.”
The Teamsters, one of many nation’s largest unions, endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020. When requested if there are considerations Harris might be much less pro-labor or pro-union than President Biden, O’Brien mentioned the Teamsters are “different than most unions.”
“We represent 1.3 million members. Half of our members are Republicans; half of our members are Democrats. So we have to serve all of our membership equally,” he mentioned. “Look, everybody has a different style of leadership. We want the opportunity to sit down with Vice President Harris. I mean, I said to someone the other day, you don’t hire someone unless you give them an interview.”
When pressed over if there’s a likelihood the Teamsters couldn’t endorse anybody prefer it did in 1996, O’Brien reiterated the union is trying to make sure they’re endorsing the very best candidate for labor.
“1996 was a long time ago,” he mentioned. “It’s all going to be driven by our rank-and-file members and our leadership. We’re a very, very Democratic union,” he mentioned.
