Teamsters president said address to GOP convention was to highlight workers, not to endorse Republicans
Source: The Hill
09/01/24 3:09 PM ET
International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean OBrien pushed back on the suggestion he spoke at the Republican National Convention in July to endorse Republicans, maintaining he was there to highlight the importance of American workers.
When asked on CBS Newss Face the Nation if he spoke at the convention because he feels former President Trump has been more pro-labor than any other GOP candidates, OBrien said, No, not at all.
I spoke there because it was the ability to highlight how important we are. It was the ability to call out the people, the corporate elitist who forget who built this country, the American workers, OBrien continued. You know, people like to, you know, have their own opinions on why we were there, but I was there to talk about the American workers.
OBrien said it was not an endorsement for any and all Republicans but strictly a message about the importance and value of workers. OBrien was the first Teamsters president to ever speak at the GOP convention, during which he slammed elites whose only loyalty is to the balance sheet.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4857925-teamsters-president-sean-obrien-rnc-workers-endorse-republicans/
He's toast at the next officers election.
Wonder Why
(4,565 posts)NotHardly
(1,132 posts)EarthFirst
(3,084 posts)Dont be surprised when John Palmer smokes you in the next election; sir
Look forward to it!
You dont show up to a convention of an anti-union collective with a candidate who is known to cross picket lines.
Period. End of story.
Speaks2
(76 posts)The DNC should have had Teamsters on Tuesday.
Specifically, a joint speech with John Palmer (the Teamsters VP challenging O'Brien in the next election) and James Curbeam (Chair of the Teamsters Black National Caucus who endorsed Harris in defiance of O'Brien).
That would have been a real rebuke while showing support for the Teamsters overall.
BumRushDaShow
(140,913 posts)(and yes a week later, I am STILL trying to recover from watching every minute of the DNC Convention, which was on average, over 5 1/2 - 6 hours every night that Monday - Thursday, starting at 6:30 pm ET, and doing so as someone who normally gets up before 4 am every morning)
Fair enough. Still, an O'Brien rebuke and the support for Palmer would have been nice.
BumRushDaShow
(140,913 posts)msongs
(69,951 posts)Warpy
(113,093 posts)you were still in the wrong place and talking to the wrong people and nobody in the place wanted to listen to anything you had to say. They were all waiting for their great divine right leader.
What a moron.
Republicans are neve going to do anything about all the unpaid hours of work Teamsters are putting in. Anything that's making rich men richer is fine with them, don't rock their boats..er..superyachts.
republianmushroom
(17,229 posts)Montauk6
(8,508 posts)TomCADem
(17,713 posts)After all, Trump appointed the judges who authored the recent Janus v. AFSCME , which ruled that union fees in the public sector violate the First Amendment right to free speech. Yet, O'Brien spoke in support of Trump, which sends the message that if you beat up on Labor the way Trump has, they will come crawling seeking for handouts. Thankfully, most other unions did not send the message that capitation is the answer.
mdbl
(5,418 posts)I can't find any. What's really stupid is I know union members who always vote republican.
rpannier
(24,557 posts)Because that was a pro-labor thing
SunSeeker
(53,486 posts)The Teamsters deserve better leadership.
Crowman2009
(2,765 posts)Didn't work out so well. Especially for the Air-Traffic Controllers.