Major US labour union declines to endorse either Harris or Trump






The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of America’s most powerful labor unions, has announced that it will not endorse a presidential candidate for the first time since 1996. With approximately 1.3 million members across the U.S. and Canada, the union cited a lack of substantial commitments on key issues from both Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Polling conducted among its rank-and-file members revealed "no definitive support" for either candidate, although recent surveys indicated significant backing for Trump. This decision represents a significant setback for Harris’s campaign, particularly as it seeks to attract working-class voters with less than 50 days remaining until the election.
The Teamsters union, representing a diverse coalition of freight drivers, warehouse workers, and airline pilots, has seen shifting political dynamics under General President Sean O'Brien, who took office in 2022. O'Brien has actively pursued relationships with Republican leaders, including populist figures like Senators Josh Hawley and JD Vance, who is now Trump's running mate. In January, O'Brien held a private meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, which was followed by Trump's attendance at a union roundtable in Washington, D.C. After that gathering, Trump expressed optimism about receiving the union's endorsement.
In addition to engaging with Republicans, the Teamsters board also met with President Joe Biden prior to his candidacy declaration, as well as third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West. However, the union surprised Democrats by making its first financial contributions to their opponents in years, donating $45,000 each to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions in February.
Notably, O'Brien became the first Teamsters leader to address the Republican National Convention, where he lauded Trump as "one tough SOB" but refrained from endorsing him. He later criticized Trump and campaign surrogate Elon Musk for remarks about firing striking workers. Following his RNC speech, O'Brien did not receive an invitation to address the Democratic convention, which opted to feature rank-and-file members instead.
This rightward outreach has sparked dissent among some Teamsters, particularly within the National Black Caucus and six union locals, which independently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and encouraged support for her candidacy. Harris met with the Teamsters board in a lengthy roundtable, which a New York Times report described as "sometimes tense," though a union spokesperson disputed that characterization. During the meeting, Harris expressed confidence in her campaign and her desire for the union's endorsement, adding that she would treat them the same regardless of their decision.
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After the meeting, O'Brien remarked that there was little difference between Harris's responses and those of Biden, who has claimed the title of "most pro-labor president ever." Biden has promoted policies aimed at strengthening workers' rights and made history last September by joining United Auto Workers on a picket line. Additionally, the Biden administration bolstered the Teamsters' pension fund by $36 billion, preventing cuts that could have affected over 600,000 members' retirement incomes.
Despite these ties, reports indicated that the Teamsters might not endorse Biden's reelection campaign before his withdrawal from the race in July.