Teamsters president stated deal with to RNC was to focus on employees, to not endorse Republicans

Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien pushed again on the suggestion he spoke on the Republican Nationwide Conference (RNC) in July to endorse Republicans, sustaining he was there to “spotlight” the significance of American employees.

When requested on CBS Information’s “Face the Nation,” if O’Brien spoke on the RNC as a result of he feels former President Trump has been extra pro-labor than some other GOP candidates, he stated, “No, by no means.”

“I spoke there as a result of it was the potential to focus on how vital we’re. It was the potential to name out the individuals, the company elitist who neglect who constructed this nation, the American employees,” O’Brien continued. “You already know, individuals prefer to, you recognize, have their very own opinions on why we had been there, however I used to be there to speak about the American employees.”

O’Brien stated 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 first Teamsters president to ever converse on the RNC, throughout which he slammed “elites” whose solely “loyalty is to the stability sheet.” 

He additionally challenged the notion that unions ought to fall according to Democratic endorsements, saying “we’ve got an obligation to do our due diligence” and “not simply robotically help one facet.”

O’Brien, in an unprecedented transfer, requested to talk at each the RNC and Democratic Nationwide Conference, however in the end was not given one on the latter.

O’Brien stated the DNC didn’t inform him why he was not allotted a slot ultimately month’s occasion.

“And look, I’ll say this, no matter the critics out there, and they’re only a few, in the management. Each time I get a possibility to focus on the American employee, particularly the Teamster employee, I’ll take any and all venue,” O’Brien stated.

“We requested each conventions, respectively, at the similar time, and the Republican Nationwide Conference instantly responded to us,” he added. “Did not attempt to edit any of our messages, and I used to be hopeful that the Democrats would do the similar, however they did not. I am not upset about it, however I can inform you this, my rank and file members, who’ve been lifelong Democrats, should not pleased about it.”

Teamsters notably has not yet endorsed a presidential candidate this cycle, breaking rank with quite a lot of 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 believe traditionally, the teamsters have at all times endorsed after each respective conventions,” he stated. “It is a little completely different. This time, underneath our management, we introduced each single candidate to the desk in entrance of our rank-and-file members and our normal govt board, and we’re ready on Vice President Harris to commit to return meet with us.”

The Teamsters, one of many nation’s largest unions, endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020. When requested if there are issues Harris might be much less pro-labor or pro-union than President Biden, O’Brien stated the Teamsters are “completely different than most unions.”

“We characterize 1.3 million members. Half of our members are Republicans; half of our members are Democrats. So, we’ve got to serve all of our membership equally,” he stated. “Look, all people has a special fashion of management. We wish the alternative to sit down down with Vice President Harris. I imply, I stated to somebody the different day, you do not rent somebody except you give them an interview.”

When pressed over if there’s a likelihood the Teamsters couldn’t endorse anybody like they did in 1996, O’Brien reiterated the union is wanting to make sure they’re endorsing the perfect candidate for labor.

“1996 was a very long time in the past,” he stated. “It is all going to be pushed by our rank-and-file members and our management. We’re a really, very Democratic union,” he stated.