Teamsters will not endorse for president, in blow to Democrats

[neohippie]

Source: Washington Post

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters will not endorse a candidate in the presidential race, for the first time in nearly three decades, in a blow to the Democratic Party, which has reliably received the union’s approval for years, according to the union.

The Teamsters confirmed the decision not to endorse. The union’s executive board was meeting in Washington to consider an endorsement on Wednesday afternoon.

The non-endorsement comes two days after union leaders and members met privately with Vice President Kamala Harris and she laid out her case for an endorsement.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/18/teamsters-endorsement-election/

---

The last time the teamsters decided not to endorse a presidential candidate was 1996 from what I understand

[Mysterian]

1. Teamsters must have a lot of fuck-ups in leadership positions

is all I can figure.

[LauraInLA]

8. Apparently 58% of members supported Trump in recent polling ;(.

[SunSeeker]

109. O'Brien is being very secretive about the data & methodology for that alleged poll.

The Teamsters released results from two internal surveys of members that they say show rank-and-file members strongly favored a Trump endorsement over one for Harris. The Teamsters reported the periods during which the polls were conducted, whether they were conducted by phone or online, and the percentages that supported Trump and Harris. But the Teamsters did not disclose how participants were selected for the surveys, the number of people who completed them, whether the samples were weighted by demographics, or the exact questions they asked.

The Teamsters said these surveys influenced their decision to not endorse. However, a chorus of union leaders and political strategists questioned them and their methodologies, as no details were released. The Washington Post has also inquired about the methodologies.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/09/19/teamsters-endorsement-harris-trump/

[LauraInLA]

110. Veeeery interesting! I'm glad it's being investigated.

[North Coast Lawyer]

68. Not Out West

Out here in the west we endorsed Harris.

https://teamstersjc7.org/category/news-press/press-releases

No idea WTF our national leadership is thinking.

[NewDayOranges]

105. Didn't the Teamsters' President make an

Appearance and speech at the RNC?

[onecaliberal]

2. They support the child rapist but don't have the balls to admit it:

[SunSeeker]

3. More like huge blow to the Teamsters' credibility.

Teamsters are in desperate need of new leadership.

[Self Esteem]

32. Teamsters leadership probably saved Democrats' butts here tbh

A strong majority of Teamsters support Trump according to their poll. So, if they're endorsing based on members, it would have gone to Trump.

[SunSeeker]

39. Teamsters leadership should be educating their members to vote in their own best interests.

Instead, O'Brien is simply letting 58% of his membership continue along in ignorance. Leaders lead, they don't just follow along, especially with the crowd is going in the wrong direction. By speaking at the RNC and complimenting anti-union Republicans in that speech, O'Brien did just the opposite and in essence gave his endorsement to Trump in the eyes of his membership.

[Self Esteem]

43. Sure but these are adults.

Who likely know good and well everything you said. They're also the exact demographic that favors Trump the most: working class white men, likely without a college degree.

[SunSeeker]

45. There is no excuse for Teamster leadership to surrender and not push back on RW misinformation.

Granted, O'Brien could have completely surrendered and endorsed Trump, but O'Brien has not shown real leadership.

[Self Esteem]

64. We don't know what they did behind the scenes.

At the end of the day, a clear majority of Teamsters supported Trump over Harris. We can get lost in the weeds of why but maybe leadership felt an endorsement would be more problematic than not endorsing.

Like I said, tho: their refusal to endorse saved the Democrats a much larger headache if they had endorsed the candidate most Teamsters seemed to want to endorse.

[H2O Man]

83. Exactly!

You nailed it.

I'll add that there were people in the leadership that wanted to endorse the convicted felon. I had expected that they would. So I look at their not endorsing is a good outcome.

I will speculate that people my age remember when the Teamsters, at very least, did business with some of the most corrupt forces in this country.

[Self Esteem]

85. Just look at their backing of Reagan and Bush in the 1980s.

[H2O Man]

86. Yes.

And they had connections with Nixon.

[SouthBayDem]

89. I recently learned that Nixon pardoned Jimmy Hoffa.

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/presidential-pardons-a-constitutional-and-historical-review

[Greybnk48]

46. Do we really need the Teamsters?

I really want to say "piss on them."

[SunSeeker]

51. Well, their endorsement sure as fuck didn't help Hillary. nt

[North Coast Lawyer]

70. Again

Seems we've been down this road before.

[Varaddem]

4. WTF !!!

[BeyondGeography]

5. They spoke at Trump's convention, not ours

For the sake of the blow-by-blow record.

[LauraInLA]

10. I believe they asked to speak at the DNC but were turned down?

[jaxexpat]

97. I believe there is some disconnect between teamsters and history.

But that goes for many union as well as nonunion entities. It's difficult to retain idealism in the cause of labor or any worthwhile mission when success or failure is measured in bank balances.

[HUAJIAO]

6. I wonder how much driver input there was. Or just regular members in general.

[LauraInLA]

11. Apparently 58% of members support Trump in recent polling.

[Tennessee Hillbilly]

7. Many truck drivers are trumpers

They spend a lot of time on the road listening to conservative talk radio.

I've also read that most television sets at truck stop lounges and diners are usually tuned to Fox News.

[FoxNewsSucks]

29. Can confirm.

I'm not a trucker, but I travel a lot and every TV, even the ones for sale in the display cases, is on the Fox "news" Sewer. All of the national chain truckstops and most of what few independents are left.

So this doesn't surprise me

[dchill]

34. You've read it. I've seen it ...

...for years.

[Upthevibe]

73. Tennessee Hillbilly.......

The damaging effect of a.m. radio can never be overstated.

[atreides1]

92. It's not just truck drivers

The Teamsters also represent railroad workers...who are pissed because the Biden administration got involved when they were planning to strike!

It can be assumed that the Teamsters wanted a guarantee from the Harris campaign that it would not interfere should they attempt to strike again...just my opinion!

[relayerbob]

9. Teamsters are to Donald Trump as the Teamsters are to Jimmy Hoffa

Same as it ever was.

From what I've read, the rank-and-file do not agree with their leadership's position. But then, they aren't profiting from the grift.

[LauraInLA]

12. Apparently 58% of members support Trump in recent polling.

[relayerbob]

57. The West Coast Teamsters & Teamsters Black Caucus both back Harris

[LauraInLA]

59. Thank God!

[relayerbob]

62. And there's this

Dave Jamieson @jamieson • 1h
Always worth mentioning amid the
Teamsters dialogue: Kamala Harris was
the Senate's tie-breaking vote on an $86
billion pension rescue that benefited the
Teamsters more than any other union.

[orangecrush]

14. This

[onenote]

13. Another take: the Teamsters leadership refused to endorse Trump despite Trump's support from a majority of Teamsters

Lots of posts here criticizing the Teamster leadership. I think that criticism is largely misplaced.

[OAITW r.2.0]

15. +1

[Lulu KC]

20. Yes, I thought similarly

It could have turned out worse.

[SunSeeker]

26. One of the roles of leadership is to lead. They need to educate their members.

Granted 81% of Teamsters are men and there is no doubt some sexism at play here. But the Teamsters endorsed Hillary in 2016, and not so coincidently O'Brien was not Teamsters President then, it was James Hoffa. https://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/teamsters-endorse-hillary-clinton-227463

Criticism of O'Brien is not misplaced. He spoke at the Republican National Convention, complimenting anti-union Republicans. Maybe a majority of his membership is so brainwashed by conservative radio and Fox News that they will vote against their own interests, but O'Brien has no excuse. He knows better. He should be educating his membership.

[jimfields33]

79. He wanted to speak at the DNC but was turned down.

[SunSeeker]

82. The 58% of his membership who support Trump would not watch the DNC.

He needs to communicate with them directly. And not compliment anti-union Republican politicians like he did at the RNC.

It's not that hard. He can just copy what well run unions like AFSME and AFL-CIO are doing:

https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-members-highlight-how-trumps-project-2025-will-shred-our-freedoms

https://aflcio.org/press/releases/donald-trumps-catastrophic-and-devastating-anti-labor-track-record

[Jose Garcia]

16. This is actually a win for Harris since most Teamster support Trump

[onenote]

17. +1

[SunSeeker]

18. The Teamsters' polling data shows members backed Biden 44.3 percent to Trump's 36.3 percent.

But in the poll ending Sept. 15, Teamsters selected Trump by 58 percent for endorsement over 31 percent for Harris.
https://teamster.org/2024/09/teamsters-release-presidential-endorsement-polling-data/

Which is odd, or some would say sexist. Teamster gender ratio:
Male - 81% Female - 19%. https://www.zippia.com/teamster-jobs/demographics/

Or maybe they're butthurt that they were not given a speaking spot at the Democratic National Convention after O'Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention and complimented anti-union Republicans.

[neohippie]

22. I agree with the post about the Truckers

I'm sure that there are a lot of progressive truck drivers, but not likely enough to counter the MAGA drivers who listen to talk radio all the time and Faux news

[SunSeeker]

30. I agree as well. But Teamsters leadership should be educating their members to vote in members' interest.

Not surrender to their prejudices and conspiracy theories they heard on conservative radio.

[Polybius]

106. I'd still rather that they would have endorsed her though

Her policies are better for unions. Why is Trump ahead with Teamster members?

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. If they endorsed in 2016 and 2020, who did they endorse?

Alternative headline: Taylor Swift and Dick Cheney both better for working people than the Teamsters union

[Jose Garcia]

25. They endorsed Clinton in 2016 and Biden in 2020

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. So, assuming they endorsed Obama in 2008 and 2012, what's their problem this time?

They've managed to endorse a Black man, and a woman, and to endorse Trump opponents. Is it just that they really like Trump's attempt at a coup? That's he's dialled up the racism and insanity this time?

[SunSeeker]

33. This is where O'Brien's poor leadership rears its ugly head.

He should be educating his membership to vote in their own best interests. Leaders lead, they don't just follow along, especially when the crowd is going the wrong way.

[hadEnuf]

96. O'Brien is clearly part of the problem here.

Trump and the Republicans are clear in their hatred of unions. It's right in the Project 2025 manifesto that they will focus on the demise of unions.

Union members supporting Trump is absolute insanity and O'Brien seems to be unable or unwilling to get that message to his members.

WTH is going on here?

[Self Esteem]

37. It's possible the Teamsters went over the members' heads and endorsed all those times.

I don't think they ever released polls about who the membership supported like they this go around.

I'm guessing Obama might have had stronger support vs Romney but the last three elections? Wouldn't surprise me if Trump was getting a majority of support each time but in 2016 and 2020, the union essentially endorsed despite that. Why they didn't this go around? Who knows?

[onandup]

21. Then no fucking seat at the table

Not an ally

[bluestarone]

23. Well, hats off to the members that SUPPORT us. A BIG FUCK YOU to the rest!!

to our FRIENDS!!!! THIS to the rest.

[cactusfractal]

27. Fuck Trumpy Truckers

It will be a great day when the last of those rigs are automated and these RW radio-listening fucks are idled forever. They can stay home and beat their cousin wives and save their "NoThInG mOvEs WiThOuT tRuCkS hUrRdUrR"

[Omaha Steve]

31. In the poll ending Sept. 15, Teamsters selected Trump by 58 percent for endorsement over 31 percent for Harris

Next to last paragraph: https://teamster.org/2024/09/teamsters-release-presidential-endorsement-polling-data/

And Biden-Harris saved their pensions.

OS

[BlueKota]

35. They can kiss their union goodbye if the the f..ker

(rhymes with trucker) gets elected. 10 to 1 he and his rubber stamp congress and kangaroo court will outlaw unions. Talk about not seeing the forrest through the trees.

[dchill]

36. The Teamsters are hauling coal...

...for Fox News.

[JohnnyRingo]

38. Trump: "I will replace your union with something better".

"Your union leaders are all corrupt, and it's a disgrace."
"No more union dues, you're welcome".

You'd think Trump would never do such a thing since they endorsed him, but he's not running again. He will no longer need them.
Trump's interest lies in the corporations that ship goods, not illiterate dock hands and truckers..

Fools

[bif]

40. Doesn't matter

Union members vote however they want.

[yaesu]

41. Listening to the constant chatter of rightwing talk shows while driving turned their minds into mush. nt

[Emile]

66. The power of propaganda works. They are ignoring the fact Republicans

hate unions and support the right to work (for less) laws that weaken unions.

This union is shooting themselves in the foot because of right wing propaganda.

[johnp3907]

42. They lost the mob so they're reaching out to republicans?

[Silent Type]

44. Fortunately, Teamsters are only about 9% of the 14.5 M Union members.

I get it’s probably good the T’s didn’t endorse anyone, but still sucks. I suspect a significant percentage — if not majority— of other unions are trumpsters too.

Don’t forget unions generally opposed “Medicare-for-All.”

[SunSeeker]

48. The NEA and AFSME are not Trumpers. They're also not 81% male like Teamsters.

The Teamsters are not like your average union. Women make up nearly 60% of the AFSCME union's membership. Women make up about half of union membership nationwide. https://www.epi.org/publication/who-are-todays-union-workers/

[Silent Type]

50. Like I said maybe not a majority, but I'd be surprised if less than 35% were trumpsters.

[aeromanKC]

47. I work with Teamsters. I'm surprised it was only 58%.

They are the most ignorant, low information, racist, bigoted, misogynistic, selfish co-workers I have ever worked with. Seems I am the companies token socialist commie fascist libtard. (I take that as a badge of honor)

My perspective is coming from disgusting ultra red state Missouri. So I guess any entity in Missouri that doesn't endorse Trump is a win. So there is that.

[Crowman2009]

87. Not surprising, given how they treated United Farm Workers back in the 60's.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

52. West Coast Teamsters break with national chapter in endorsing Harris

Link to tweet

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/18/west-coast-teamsters-endorse-harris-00179923

West Coast Teamsters announced their endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday, just minutes after national Teamsters leadership declined to issue a presidential endorsement.

The move represents a sharp break within the powerful union’s membership in liberal states like California, where former President Donald Trump remains a widely unpopular political figure. The union’s national headquarters released internal survey results earlier in the day that showed close to 60 percent of its members backed Trump.

Teamsters Joint Councils 7 and 42 — which are made up of 39 local unions representing 300,000 members in California, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam — wrote in a statement that Harris and her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have a history of supporting expanded labor protections for workers, like the proposed Protect the Right to Organize Act and a Minnesota law that will ban employers from forcing workers to attend anti-labor meetings.

“Teamster members work and live in cities as well as in rural communities, come from diverse backgrounds, and have different views, but Joint Council 7 and 42 Teamsters refuse to be divided by extremist political forces or greedy corporations that want to see us fail,” said Teamsters Joint Council 7 President Peter Finn. “As Teamsters we will stand together to have a strong voice on the job, provide for our families, and serve the communities where we work.”

[Roy Rolling]

100. Locals are endorsing Harris

The National Union didn’t endorse, many local endorsed Harris.

The news story is a non-event, except that Trump failed again. But we all know that.

[Kittycatkat]

53. I will no longer support Teamsters.

Fu$@‘em! They can’t stand up for democracy, and no to a rapist? Fu&@‘em!

[CapnSteve]

54. All the important unions (like mine!) have endorsed Harris-Walz

Teamsters rank and file support Harris-Walz as well.

We got this.

[SunSeeker]

55. Yes, the well run unions like AFSME and AFL-CIO all educated their members so they don't vote against their own interest

https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-members-highlight-how-trumps-project-2025-will-shred-our-freedoms

https://aflcio.org/press/releases/donald-trumps-catastrophic-and-devastating-anti-labor-track-record


Helloooo O'Brien? How hard would that be for you sir?

[Paladin]

56. Fuck you, Teamsters. Thanks for nothing.

What a vile, stupid, chicken-shit thing to do. Have fun, reaping what you've sown.

[FightFight]

58. Republicans introduce anti-union bills in preview of 2024 agenda

Anti-union bills
National right-to-work
During the 2021-2022 Congress, three bills have been filed to create a national right-to-work.

H.R. 1275, sponsored by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) and cosponsored by 107 other Republicans.

S. 406, sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and cosponsored by 21 other Republicans.

S. 3464, sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) introduced legislation to extend right-to-work ordinances to Native American tribes. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Don Young (R-AK), and Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) joined as cosponsors. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) introduced the same bill in the Senate, garnering eight cosponsors including Sens. John Thune (R-SD), James Risch (R-ID), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), John Hoeven (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Lankford (R-OK), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).

Nat’l Labor Relations Board
H.R. 2063: Repeals the authority of the National Labor Relations Board to prosecute complaints of unfair labor practices. Introduced by Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA) with seven cosponsors: Reps. Neal Dunn (R-FL), Jody Hice (R-GA), Scott Perry (R-PA), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), and Rick Allen (R-GA).

S. 882: Senate version of H.R. 2063. Introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) with Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Rand Paul (R-KY) as cosponsors.
Other anti-union bills
H.R. 1902: Eliminates the use of official time by Federal employees. Official time is paid time off from assigned Government duties to represent a union or its bargaining unit employees. Rep. Dan Bishop introduced the bill with 18 cosponsors: Reps. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Mo Brooks (R-AL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Scott Perry (R-PA), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Jim Banks (R-IN), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), Gregory Steube (R-FL), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Ken Buck (R-CO), Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), Tom Rice (R-SC), and Adrian Smith (R-NE).

Official time represents 0.1% of all the salaries and benefits paid to federal employees in a given year and ensures federal workers have the ability to resolve disputes, address discrimination, negotiate contracts, and identify safety or health hazards.
H.R. 2403: Amends the Taft-Hartley Act to forbid agreements between employers and unions wherein the employer will remain neutral toward union representation. The main goal of such agreements is to obtain promises that the employer will not disparage the union and will not disrupt the unionization process. Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) introduced the bill with four cosponsors: Reps. Scott Perry (R-PA), Marjorie Green Taylor (R-GA), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), and Pat Fallon (R-TX).

H.R. 2640: Requires a majority of union members to vote in support of the expenditure of union funds on political causes (eg lobbying in favor or opposition to a certain bill). Introduced by Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) with no cosponsors.

H.R. 3640: Requires unions to file certain disclosure forms detailing expenditures of union dues and imposes civil fines on labor organizations that fail to file required disclosures. Introduced by Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) with Reps. Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Madison Cawthorn (R-NC) as cosponsors.

H.R. 5178: Allows employers to discriminate against job-seekers with union sympathies. Introduced by Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA) with eight cosponsors: Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Scott Perry (R-PA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Jody Hice (R-GA), Earl Carter (R-GA), Burgess Owens (R-UT), Bob Good (R-VA), and Kat Cammack (R-FL).

S. 805: Repeals the Davis-Bacon Act, which mandates workers of federally funded or assisted contracts are paid prevailing wages.
REMEMBER THIIS-- A LOT OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS ARE VOTING TO MAKE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE THEY DONT LIKE MUCH HARDER===NOT TO MAKE THEIR OWN LIVES BETTER,

If not for Biden- Harris there'd be no infrestructure bill

America ow leads the world in Oil production

Bith things directly put money in the lpockets of teamsters

I dont think they understand that if Trump implments his Tarrif plan, their lives are bupkus almost immediately

[TBF]

67. If you do the search in the Project 2025 pdf you can find all the instances

they talk about ridding the country of public unions (ie they are going to get rid of any unions in government first). There are 30 hits when you do the search and all their comments center around how bad they think unions are for "democracy".

These Teamsters are complete fools - Donald will turn on them in a second. Remember Reagan and the Air Traffic Controllers?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

60. Unions backing Kamala Harris

Link to tweet

Unions backing Kamala Harris:

✊ United Auto Workers
✊ AFL-CIO
✊ IBEW
✊ National Education Association
✊ Postal Workers Union
✊ Communication Workers of America
✊ SMART Union
✊ SEIU
✊ United Food and Commercial Workers
✊ Actors' Equity Association
✊ Arizona AFL-CIO
✊ Connecticut AFL-CIO
Kentucky AFL-CIO
Maine AFL-CIO
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Nevada AFL-CIO
New Jersey AFL-CIO
New York State AFL-CIO
New York City Central Labor Council
Oregon AFL–CIO
Pennsylvania AFL–CIO
Washington State Labor Council
King County Labor Council
Wisconsin AFL-CIO
Amalgamated Transit Union
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689
American Federation of Government Employees
AFGE Council 238
American Federation of School Administrators
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
District Council 37
American Federation of Musicians
AFM Local 802
American Federation of Teachers
AFT of Maryland
AFT of Massachusetts
Chicago Teachers Union
Ohio Federation of Teachers
United Federation of Teachers New York City, New York
American Guild of Musical Artists
American Postal Workers Union
American Train Dispatchers Association
Association of Flight Attendants
California School Employees Association
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists[896]
Communication Workers of America[897]
Culinary Workers Union[898]
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees[899]
International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers[900]
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers[901]
International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers[902]
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers[903]
Local 11[904]
Local 103[905][906]
Local 292[907]
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Joint Council 28[908]
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 186[909]
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 572[910]
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers[911]
International Longshore and Warehouse Union[912]
International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots[913]
International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers[914]
International Union of Elevator Constructors[915]
International Union of Operating Engineers[916]
International Union of Painters and Allied Trades[917]
Laborers' International Union of North America[918]
National Air Traffic Controllers Association[919]
National Association of Letter Carriers[920]
National Education Association[921]
Ohio Education Association[922]
Oregon Education Association[923]
Texas State Teachers Association[924]
Wisconsin Education Association Council[925]
National Nurses United[926]
Washington State Nurses Association[927]
National Union of Healthcare Workers[928]
North America's Building Trades Unions[929]
Office and Professional Employees International Union[930]
Orange County Labor Federation[931]
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union[932]
Seafarers International Union of North America[933]
Service Employees International Union[934]
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East[935]
SEIU 721[936]
SEIU CALIFORNIA[937]
SEIU Pennsylvania council[938]
SEIU United Healthcare Workers West[937]
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society[939]
UNITE HERE[940]
UNITE HERE Local 11[941]
United Association[942]
United Auto Workers[943]
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America[944]
United Farm Workers[688][945]
United Food and Commercial Workers[946]
UFCW Local 99[947]
UFCW 880[948]
UFCW Local 1776[949]
UFCW 3000[950]
United Steelworkers[951]
Utility Workers Union of America[952]
Writers Guild of America West PAC[953]

[relayerbob]

61. Here is the ultimate irony. The GOP tried to fuck them, and Harris supported them

Dave Jamieson @jamieson • 1h
Always worth mentioning amid the
Teamsters dialogue: Kamala Harris was
the Senate's tie-breaking vote on an $86
billion pension rescue that benefited the
Teamsters more than any other union.

[North Coast Lawyer]

63. WTF!!!

I am beyond disappointed. Our leadership are a bunch of cowards who declined to lead. The Harris / Walz ticket promises to be one of the most pro labor pro worker in history. In contrast Trump has again and again proven that he's the enemy of working people (among his other, seemingly endless, faults).

National has betrayed us. My area supports Harris and Walz. Teamsters Joint Council 7 (California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Guam) have endorsed Harris and Walz.

https://teamstersjc7.org/category/news-press/press-releases

[Emile]

65. Washington Post has it wrong. Teamsters failed to endorse Trump

is the news story.

[24601]

103. The average person will take-away that a majority ( 58%) of Teamsters support Trump while a minority (31%) support

Harris.

The logical inference is that the poll represents a de facto endorsement even though the Teamsters declined to make an official endorsement. I file that under "so what?"

Someone would require deliberate political indifference to not know that unions of government employees overwhelmingly support Democrats, that unions in general strongly swing Democratic, and that Teamsters have a history of breaking with the larger union community. So, as a dog bites man story, it shouldn't be news to anyone. I believe also that the effect on battleground state voting will be insignificant.

[Demsrule86]

69. Some states teamsers organization have endorsed Harris...California, Michigan and one other can't

remember where.

[mainer]

71. O'Brien visits Mar A Lago, miraculously becomes Trump booster

Just like Lindsey Graham. Just like Kevin McCarthy. Something happens down there, at Mar A Lago. Secret videos are aired, or files are disclosed, and scandals threatened.

The Russians have something on O'Brien, and Trump's hanging it over his head.

[TheCowsCameHome]

72. O'Brien is on the skids.

As a retired teamster I am ashamed of their cowardice.

[kimbutgar]

74. My husbands is in the teamsters union for a major airline and he works with quite a few magas

Who don’t realize they will lose their protections and good pay if the donOLD gets back in office.

These blue collar guys listen to right wing radio on their long commutes home and then watch fox when they walk in the doors of their homes.

[chouchou]

75. If you vote for Trump, you ARE Trump. Fuck them.

[DownriverDem]

76. The individual Teamster Locals

across the land have endorsed Harris/Walz. It's their national leader who blew it. He is the one who spoke at the repub conventions.

[JohnSJ]

77. Why a blow to Democrats and not republicans? What a bullshit headline from the Washington Post.

[OAITW r.2.0]

78. Their loss.

Hey, when you marinate in RW radio 10 hours a day over 30 years, you vote Trump.

[AllyCat]

80. And a blow to themselves and democracy.

Cowards.

[tirebiter]

81. Rank and file is supporting Harris. Chill

[LudwigPastorius]

84. Apparently, 58% of the Teamsters rank and file are Southpark "They took our jobs!" idiots.

[czarjak]

88. Bigly misguided.

[jfz9580m]

90. That sucks. nt

[HagathaCrispy]

91. Does this really matter?

I read that most of their members are white working class without a college degree. Don't they vote like 75% Republican now anyway? It's unfortunate but it's truth apparently. Unhealthy Lifestyles chain-smoking and in a truck 12 hours a day listening to radio has to be a very shortened lifespan. In addition they don't eat well.

[Bengus81]

93. Those clowns think they would have a Union under Trump administration and P2025?

[wolfie001]

94. Biden helped save those trucker's pensions so that means the leadership is dominated by racists

Simple answer to that question of "Now why would they take that position?"

[samnsara]

95. so they essentially endorse a man whose policies could KILL

..their female members?? smart...

[NoMoreRepugs]

98. How many women on the executive board??

[Delphinus]

99. I wonder if this (old) story

from The Guardian shows what the Teamsters' leadership is.

Teamsters union pays $2.9m to settle racial discrimination lawsuit

[Ohioboy]

101. I was a Teamster for 30 years

A lot drivers listen to right- wing radio for many hours a day to pass the time.
Not only do they get brainwashed into supporting idiots like Trump, they also get brainwashed into hating their own unions. Right-wing radio convinces them that their dues are going to support candidates that will do things like take their guns away. It may actually be smart for union leadership to stay neutral when it comes to endorsements, lest the rank and file votes them out alltogether.

[SunSeeker]

107. Why doesn't Teamster leadership try to educate their members?

Other unions do it.

Like AFSME:
https://www.afscme.org/blog/afscme-members-highlight-how-trumps-project-2025-will-shred-our-freedoms

And AFL-CIO:
https://aflcio.org/press/releases/donald-trumps-catastrophic-and-devastating-anti-labor-track-record

[IA8IT]

102. Poison they listen to on the radio and streaming gives them Rupert's Rabies.

[FakeNoose]

104. I think the Teamsters' leadership is all-in for the Democratic ticket

But here's the problem ... Teamster members - a good majority anyway - are truck drivers who listen to the cesspool of AM radio all day while they're out on the road. This is their major influence, just like the old folks sitting home with Faux Noise on all day.

The union leadership needs to find a way to break this habit of listening to the garbage radio that is influencing their members. When that happens, we will be living in a different world.

[BlueWavePsych]

108. Nevada, Wisconsin & Michigan Teamsters Endorse Kamala. Update: California, NY & PA Too!

Teamsters Councils representing Western PA, Central PA and the Philadelphia region have all now endorsed @KamalaHarris for President.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/18/2271368/-Nevada-Wisconsin-amp-Michigan-Teamsters-Officially-Endorse-Kamala

We need all the help we can get from swing states like PA.

[Rocknation]

111. Cut the comedy, WaPo -- why is it not ALSO a blow to the Republicans?

Espcially since O'Brien spoke at the GOP national convention?

The national teamsters are not endorsing Kamala out of fear that MAGA will accuse them of being pussy whipped; and they're not endorsing Trump out of fear that he's likely to lose in a blowout.

This reminds me of WaPo's article about Trump's "new" voters when he lost in 2020...


Rocknation