Teamsters' Sean O'Brien reveals why union won’t endorse in the presidential race, releases internal polls

WASHINGTON, DC: Sean O'Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, announced a historic decision on Wednesday, September 18, choosing not to endorse a presidential candidate for the first time in nearly three decades.

This decision comes after the release of internal polling that revealed a majority of its members favoring former president Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris.

Teamsters' historic break in tradition

Teamsters, one of the largest and most influential labor unions in the United States, has opted not to back a candidate in the 2024 presidential race for the first time since 1996.

This move breaks with a long-standing tradition, as the union has endorsed Democratic candidates in the last six presidential elections, including Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020.

In a statement explaining the decision, O’Brien expressed disappointment that neither Trump nor Harris made sufficient commitments to the union’s key demands.

“Unfortunately, neither major candidate was able to make serious commitments to our union to ensure the interests of working people are always put before Big Business,” said O’Brien.

“We sought commitments from both Trump and Harris not to interfere in critical union campaigns or core Teamsters industries – and to honor our members’ right to strike – but were unable to secure those pledges,” he added.

Polling data reflects Donald Trump’s support among members

The Teamsters released internal polling data that showed substantial support for Donald Trump among its members, reported Reuters.

About 60% of respondents believed the union should endorse Trump while 34% favored Harris, according to an electronic survey conducted after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race in July.

The remaining 6% of the union members indicated support for another candidate.

This shift in preference towards Trump was highlighted by his campaign, which used the union’s decision as evidence of his broad appeal among working-class voters.

“While the Executive Board of the Teamsters is making no formal endorsement, the vast majority of rank-and-file working men and women in this important organization want President Donald Trump back in the White House,” stated the Trump campaign.

Kamala Harris fails to secure union’s endorsement

In an attempt to secure the union's backing, Kamala Harris had met with Teamsters leaders earlier in the week.

Despite the vice president's efforts, the union was unable to secure commitments on key issues that aligned with the interests of its members, leading to the decision to decline to endorse Harris.

O’Brien, who had a prominent role at the Republican National Convention in July was notably absent from the Democratic Convention in August, underscoring the complex relationship between the union and the Democratic Party.