For the first time in its history, the Teamsters union has announced it will make no endorsement for president this election year.
The decision comes after the union’s executive board reviewed several months of membership polling on which candidate to endorse. The results of this poll along with several others were published by the union on X.
From April 9 to July 3, nearly 300 Teamsters locals nationwide conducted first-of-their-kind presidential town halls to solicit endorsement preferences from members via straw polls. The in-person voting was held prior to President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race. The Teamsters’ polling data shows members backed Biden 44.3% to Donald Trump 36.3%.
Following the Republican National Convention and Biden’s exit, the Teamsters commissioned a national electronic poll of its 1.3 million members, overseen by an independent third party. During a voting window from July 24 to Sept. 15, rank-and-file Teamsters voted 59.6% for the union to endorse Trump, compared to 34% for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
In the past week, following the Democratic National Convention and recent presidential debate, the Teamsters commissioned independent polling firm Lake Research Partners to conduct the union’s final national survey. This phone poll resulted in Teamsters selecting Trump by 58% for endorsement over 31% for Harris.
“For the past year, the Teamsters Union has pledged to conduct the most inclusive, democratic, and transparent Presidential endorsement process in the history of our 121-year-old organization — and today we are delivering on that promise to our members,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien in a news release from the union sent before the decision not to endorse was made. “Our members are the union, and their voices and opinions must be at the forefront of everything the Teamsters do. 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.”
The Teamsters union is made up of over 1.3 million members across the U.S., and is widely considered a powerful voting bloc for politicians to court. While the Teamsters endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, the 2024 decision not to endorse comes late in an already tumultuous election season.
The Teamsters made history earlier this summer when O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention, marking a first for the usually Democratic-leaning labor union. O’Brien had also requested to speak at the Democratic National Convention a month later but never received a response from the DNC.
Harris eventually agreed to meet with O’Brien and Teamsters members for a roundtable discussion on Monday. The same opportunity to meet with the union was given to then-Democratic candidate Biden and Republican Trump earlier this year.
In a news release published Wednesday afternoon, O’Brien stated that no candidate for president had earned the endorsement of the Teamsters.
“The Teamsters thank all candidates for meeting with members face-to-face during our unprecedented roundtables. 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. 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,” O’Brien said in the release. “Our mission as union representatives is clear: to be honest and upfront, to be inclusive and, above all, to be transparent with our membership. As the strongest and most democratic labor union in America, it was vital for our members to drive this endorsement process. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents proudly call our union home, and we have a duty to represent and respect every one of them. We strongly encourage all our members to vote in the upcoming election, and to remain engaged in the political process. But this year, no candidate for President has earned the endorsement of the Teamsters’ International Union.”
Carlos
✅ TYPICAL LEFTARDED BEHAVIOR OF THE UNION BRASS WHEN THE BROTHERS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED FOR TRUMP, THEY SUPPRESS THE SUPPORT AND FAIL TO ENDORSE ✅
Richard Sierra Jr.
Why any union or union member would endorse Trump for president boggles my mind! President Trump during his administration appointed a known union busting attorney as general counsel to the NLRB also filled two known union busters to serve as commissioners at NLRB. Trump also did not fully fund the NLRB, OSHA the DOL which had the effect of hollowing out each of those organizations charged with protecting workers from in scrupulous employers. I understand that the Teamsters African American Caucus has voted to support the Harris/ Walz Campaign. The lead into this story is a bit miss leading in that in the past The Teamsters Union and other Unions have not endorsed presidential campaigns. Nothing really new on that front for sure!
Trump recently met with Elon Musk and praised Tesla for firing Tesla workers who have been attempting to organize for some time at the Fremont Ca Tesla plant these workers have been organizing with the assistance of the UAW. I can go on and on, brothers and sisters if you care about organized labor as a whole and the principles that we all stand for the ideals that binds us together as trade movement you cannot in good conscience support the Trump reelection campaign!
A third generation member of The Laborers International Union of North America.
Eugene V. Debs
While I think O’Brien should’ve endorsed Harris/Walz anyway, I respect the IBT’s decision. No republican ever lifted a finger for the unions, and certainly no Maga politician ever has or would.
A former union rep of mine was often fond of saying “A leopard can’t change it’s spots”. That certainly applies to the charlatans on the far-right.
Kamala Harris Teamster
what a joke. so many of us wanted harris and we were told by the union not to vote for her.
John Kopp
It’s about time. For almost 40 years i have been against us dealing with politicians. Being a steward for 25 of those years my views weren’t a secret. Politicians want our votes, our money, and stab us in the back. Remember deregulation. That’s why we endorsed Reagan in 1980.
Ed
I agree!
Teamsters Brothers and Sisters, majority rules.
Teamsters should endorse President TRUMP
2024🇺🇸.
Thank you,
Ed
Joey
So the translation is that the Teamsters leadership refuses to endorse a Republican candidate and they cannot endorse Harris without angering their membership. It should come to a vote of the membership who they want to endorse for President.
Pissed off Teamster
What a surprise. An overwhelming majority of members back Trump over Harris and now they don’t endorse. What the hell was the point in polling us then. That was why we voted who we want. Sean O’brian is a hack just like Hoffa. He doesn’t care about his members because if he did then the Teamsters would have endorsed the candidate who won the majority of support from the members.