WASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Askume) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said on Wednesday the union would not endorse any U.S. presidential candidate, despite a poll showing that a majority of members support Republican nominee Donald Trump over Democrat Khama la Harris.
The 1.3 million-member union — which represents other workers ranging from truck drivers to airline pilots to zoo workers — released a national electronic survey of its members on Wednesday, showing that general members prefer the former president over Vice President-elect Harris, 34% to 59.6%.
The Teamsters union has endorsed every Democratic presidential candidate since 2000, but has also backed Republicans several times, including President Ronald Reagan in 1984 and Vice President George H.W. Bush. This is the first time since 1996 that the union has not endorsed any candidate.
Most major unions have endorsed Harris, including the United Auto Workers . The AFL-CIO, which represents 60 unions and 12.5 million workers, endorsed Harris in July.
The endorsement of the Teamsters Executive Council is widely expected as it is seen as a factor in deciding the Nov. 5 election in some key states, including Michigan, Nevada and Pennsylvania, with heavy union membership .
“We couldn’t get firm commitments on the core issues,” Teamsters President Sean O’Brien told Fox News in explaining the union’s decision. “I think the lack of support sends a message to both parties that if they really want to support working people they need to reevaluate and understand that nothing is given, nothing is earned.”
Harris campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said some Teamsters locals still support Harris despite the national union’s decision. “When she’s elected president, no matter what, she will take care of rank-and-file Teamsters, because they always have been and always will be the people she fights for,” Hitt said.
Trump told reporters at a New York bar that truck drivers had decided not to support a candidate: “That’s a great honor. They’re not going to support the Democrats. That’s a big deal.”
In a later survey, the union said after the Sept. 10 presidential debate, independent polling firm Lake Research Partners found that 58 percent of Teamsters members who responded to a survey that ended Sept. 15 voted for Trump.
O’Brien and other union representatives met with Harris on Monday after meeting with Trump in January.
The Teamsters said its own polling data showed that before Biden withdrew from the presidential race on July 21, members supported Biden at 44.3% and Trump at 36.3%.
O’Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, but he also criticized Trump for saying that striking workers could be fired.
