Given Donald Trump’s popularity among working-class voters, it is highly likely that more members of the Teamsters union will vote for the former president in November than for Joe Biden.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien extended an invitation to Trump, inviting him to the union’s D.C. headquarters for a discussion akin to the one he had today with President Joe Biden.
After meeting with Trump, O’Brien and two Teamsters approached a group of reporters who were eager to know about the discussion they had with the Republican candidate for president.
They promptly and succinctly addressed the matter at hand, prioritizing the “Right to Work” as their main concern.
O’Brien and his fellow union bosses are eager to eliminate state Right to Work laws in order to compel workers to pay union dues nationwide. This is the primary reason why he has proposed to Trump that an endorsement could be considered if he opposes Right to Work.
Instead of taking the bait, Trump has chosen to make a case for O’Brien endorsing him by highlighting the improved quality of life for workers during his administration.
Appealing directly to workers, despite the disapproval of union elites like O’Brien, has proven to be a successful instinct for Trump.
According to recent data, a majority of Americans, specifically 8 out of 10, are against the idea of individuals being obligated to pay union dues in order to secure or maintain employment. Interestingly, this sentiment is not limited to non-union households, as even a majority within union households share this perspective.
The notion that Trump should endorse compulsory unionism in order to vie for the Teamsters’ support needs to be reconsidered. It is important to question whether union leaders genuinely represent the interests of American workers.
Shortly after meeting with Trump, news emerged that the Teamsters’ PAC had donated $45,000 to support the Republican National Committee’s convention. This revelation caused shockwaves in Washington and sparked outrage among some of O’Brien’s more militant supporters.
The media reports on the Teamsters’ donation to the RNC did not mention that the Teamsters PAC also contributed to various other funds and campaign committees within the Democratic National Committee. These include the DNC convention fund, DNC Legal Fund, DNC Building Fund, as well as the Democrats’ House and Senate campaign committees.
It’s not surprising that the Teamsters PAC donated 98 percent of its contributions to Democrats in 2020. However, it’s important to note that not all union members are Democrats, yet the union leadership seems to disregard the interests of the workers it claims to represent.
The issue at hand extends beyond the support for political candidates. The leaders of the Teamsters are actively working towards altering laws at both the state and federal levels in order to increase the authority of union bosses over the workers. This often involves overturning policies that were implemented during the Trump administration.
Teamster officials are in favor of the Biden Labor Department’s efforts to reverse the independent contractor rules implemented during the Trump era. They are advocating for a new system that takes inspiration from California’s well-known “AB5” standard.
AB5 in California has caused a significant problem for independent truckers who own their own rigs and have the freedom to work with multiple companies. The previous standard set by Trump ensured that these drivers were not obligated to accept union representation or pay dues. However, union officials are now seeking to reverse this rule and enforce California’s regulations on a national scale.
Union officials are in favor of the Biden administration’s ongoing efforts to repeal the “Election Protection Rule” imposed by the Trump Labor Board. This rule had previously hindered union lawyers from employing manipulative tactics to impede the voting rights of rank-and-file workers who wished to remove unions that didn’t have majority support.
During the press conference that followed his meeting with Trump, O’Brien faced a question regarding the compatibility of his openness to a Trump endorsement with the stark differences in labor policies between the Trump and Biden administrations.
O’Brien’s response spoke volumes: “You know, there’s no doubt that the Biden administration has been a real boon for unions. However, it’s important to remember that engaging in meaningful dialogue can actually help shape differing perspectives that ultimately benefit unions and their goals in the long run.”
O’Brien’s intention behind his somewhat clumsy wording is clear – he aims to elicit a specific outcome by proposing the idea of “formulating difference of opinions.” By presenting the possibility of a potential endorsement from Trump, he is hoping to garner support for controversial proposals, such as the repeal of the Right to Work.
Opposition to Right to Work is a necessary stance for union-endorsed politicians like Joe Biden, despite its immense popularity.
It is a price that Donald Trump, or any elected official, should not be willing to pay.
Mark Mix serves as the President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.