The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the only union among the nation’s top 10 that has not endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in her 2024 showdown with former President Trump, could make an announcement later this week about who they will back in the race for the White House.
“We're going to look at each and every option, and I can't commit to what we're going to do,” Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien told reporters at the union's national headquarters in the nation's capital.
O'Brien spoke after he and other Teamsters leaders met behind closed doors with Harris on Monday for a roundtable discussion.
The vice president did not speak to reporters as she left Teamsters headquarters after delivering her speech, as the Democratic presidential nominee works to maintain her party's traditionally high level of support from unions.
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Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Late last year, O'Brien announced the union's first interview process for his 2024 presidential endorsement and invited candidates from all major parties to make their cases.
The truckers She met earlier this year with Trump and separately with President Biden, whom Harris succeeded as the Democratic national nominee two months ago.
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O'Brien made history in July by becoming the first Teamsters president to address a Republican National Convention.
But his speech also sparked controversy, drawing the ire of other top Teamsters leaders and some rank-and-file members. Democrats did not invite O'Brien to address their convention last month in Chicago.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
O'Brien said Monday that the Teamsters are finishing their survey of union members ahead of an executive board meeting on Wednesday, adding that the survey results will be made public.
He said that the support “will depend on the bases, the vote and also on the discussion and deliberation of the general executive board.”
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“It's no secret that the Teamsters union is very different than most unions, and I say that with total respect; we represent everyone from airline pilots to zookeepers,” O'Brien said. “We don't just represent registered Democrats, we represent registered Republicans and independents, so we have to take into account the needs of working people.” [that] “under consideration.”
“We have to make sure we make the right decisions,” he stressed. “Our only goal is to represent those workers, negotiate solid contracts and organize new members.”
O'Brien said the Teamsters asked Harris the same questions they asked Biden earlier this year and noted the president and vice president gave similar answers.
“There wasn't much difference,” he said.
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The Teamsters have asked presidential candidates about their support for the PRO Act, a sweeping set of union-friendly changes to federal labor law, as well as their stance on bankruptcy reform and antitrust policies.
Biden made history by becoming the first sitting president to join striking workers on a picket line, and O'Brien noted that Biden has been “great for unions.”
Former President Trump arrives at Harry Reid International Airport after a campaign trip, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
O'Brien also reiterated his criticism of Trump's recent comments in an interview with billionaire mogul Elon Musk, when the former president praised the tech CEO for retaliating against striking workers by firing them, which is illegal.
Asked if Trump's comments would affect the Teamsters' endorsement, O'Brien said they “influence the decision.”
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