Teamsters President Sean O’Brien made history as the first union leader in the organization’s 121-year existence to address the Republican National Convention, and on Wednesday, he unveiled compelling polling data from within the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in a public release. Traditionally supportive of Democratic candidates, the Teamsters—one of the nation’s largest unions—are drawing significant attention with this unexpected development.
“We’ve done some research-based polling that we will be presenting to the general executive board, all three of those polling models, on Wednesday. And then we’ll deliberate, and a decision will be made then,” O’Brien said on Monday according to The Hill. “We don’t just represent registered Democrats, we represent registered Republicans and independents, so we have to take [that] into consideration.” The Teamsters Union, officially known as the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), is one of North America’s oldest, largest and most influential labor unions.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters originally represented horse team drivers and warehouse workers. Today, their membership spans a wide array of industries, including freight, healthcare, and public sectors. With over 1.4 million members, the union is a formidable force in labor negotiations and political advocacy. The Teamsters are dedicated to improving working conditions, wages, and benefits for their members. They have led major labor movements and played a crucial role in shaping labor laws and policies in the United States. Additionally, their significant political influence is demonstrated through their frequent endorsements and support of candidates who commit to defending labor rights.
According to survey data released by the union on Wednesday, Trump holds a significant advantage over Harris among Teamsters members as the union considers its presidential endorsement. The online poll revealed that nearly 60 percent of participating members favored Trump, while 34 percent supported Harris. A simultaneous phone survey confirmed these findings, with Trump garnering 58 percent of the support compared to Harris’s 31 percent.
Earlier in the week, O’Brien claimed that the polling of the union’s membership would be key to which candidate The Teamsters would back. “Our members are the union, and their voices and opinions must be at the forefront of everything the Teamsters do,” O’Brien said in a release. “Our final decision around a possible Presidential endorsement will not be made lightly, but you can be sure it will be driven directly by our diverse membership.” Shortly thereafter, however, the union leadership said that it wouldn’t endorse either candidate, though that is more of a blow to Harris than to Trump since The Teamsters have never formally supported Republican candidates in the modern era.
Kamala Harris’s significantly lower support among Teamsters members also raises concerns that other blue-collar unions may share similar doubts about her, despite their organizations officially endorsing her, Politico noted. O’Brien has encountered resistance from some Democrats and members of organized labor regarding the Teamsters’ endorsement process. This includes criticism for inviting Trump, along with other GOP and independent candidates, to participate in roundtables at the union’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. O’Brien has consistently defended his approach, emphasizing the importance of involving rank-and-file members rather than imposing decisions from the top.
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