By Jacob Ogles
(Source: Florida Politics)
The national Teamsters may not be taking a stance, but local chapters are backing the Democratic ticket.
A half dozen unions issued endorsements, including Teamsters Local 79 — SW FL, Tampa, Teamsters Local 173 — Bradenton, Teamsters Local 385 — Orlando, Teamsters Local 512 — Jacksonville, Teamsters Local 769 — Miami and Teamsters Local 947 — Jacksonville.
The endorsements were issued as part of a joint endorsement of unions from Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
“The Executive Board of Teamsters Joint Council 75 is proud to announce our endorsement of the Kamala Harris and Tim Walz ticket for President and Vice President of the United States,” reads a letter from the North Miami-based regional Teamsters affiliate.
The council said the Democratic candidates’ “strong record on workers’ rights and advocacy stands in clear contrast to that of the Republican nominee, Donald Trump.”
The chapter action followed a decision by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters not to endorse for President this year, citing a division in polling of its national membership.
“The Teamsters thank all candidates for meeting with members face-to-face during our unprecedented roundtables,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien.
“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.”
The decision not to endorse sparked anger from many leaders across the country, especially after O’Brien this Summer became the first Teamsters President ever to speak at the Republican National Convention. The Teamsters union has issued a national endorsement of every Democratic nominee for President since 1996.
Local chapters across the country over the last week have opted to issue individual endorsements, often for Harris.
“As the election draws near, we believe it is important to share our perspective on which candidate truly stands up for all workers, especially Union members,” the letter from Joint Council 75 reads. “The record is clear — whether it’s backing funding for Union members’ and retirees’ pensions, ensuring a strong, pro-worker, pro-union National Labor Board, or supporting the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), the Harris-Walz ticket is the best choice for organized labor.”
The letter also calls out Project 2025, the controversial blueprint from conservative think tanks for the next Republican administration. That agenda, the letter said, “would be a disaster for all workers, particularly Union members.”
“For these reasons, and many others too numerous to list, we strongly encourage your support for the Harris-Walz ticket in the upcoming Presidential election.”
