Teamsters Worldwide president Sean O’Brien has been accused by senior members of the union of disgracing it by agreeing to an unprecedented look at subsequent week’s Republican nationwide conference.
O’Brien’s resolution was branded “unconscionable” by John Palmer, vice-president at massive at Teamsters, who accused him of lending assist to the “most anti-union get together and President” in a era.
In a letter seen by the Guardian, Palmer urged members of the union to demand that O’Brien cancel his deliberate look. Teamsters didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The Teamsters is likely one of the largest labor unions within the US, with 1.3 million members. Whereas different massive labor unions and the biggest coalition of labor unions, the AFL-CIO, have already endorsed Joe Biden, the Teamsters has but to make an endorsement within the 2024 presidential election.
The Republican conference is about to start on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. O’Brien’s scheduled look has drawn criticism from each leaders and members throughout the Teamsters, and anti-union teams.
The Middle for Union Details, a company based by a staunch union opponent and lobbyist Rick Berman, has paid for billboards within the Milwaukee space accusing the Teamsters of being a partisan group because of the union’s political motion committee (Pac) predominantly supporting Democratic politicians.
O’Brien’s speech on the RNC would be the first time a Teamsters president has spoken on the conference. In January 2024, the Teamsters Pac donated $45,000 to each the Democratic and Republican nationwide committees, marking its first massive donation to the Republican Celebration in years.
Earlier this 12 months James Curbeam, nationwide chairman of the Teamsters Nationwide Black caucus, warned members that Trump was a “scab masquerading as a pro-union advocate” in a letter, reported by the New York Instances, responding to O’Brien’s assembly with the previous president.
As O’Brien prepares to talk in Milwaukee, Palmer sounded the alarm.
“A talking engagement on the Republican Nationwide Conference by Teamster President Sean O’Brien, whatever the message, solely normalizes and makes essentially the most anti-union get together and President I’ve seen in my lifetime appear palatable,” he wrote in his letter, outlining anti-union insurance policies being pushed by Trump and the Republican get together.
Palmer pointed to the current supreme courtroom resolution overturning the Chevron resolution which paves the best way for company challenges to guidelines meant to guard staff, and cited the open opposition to union drives from Republican leaders.
“It’s unconscionable for any Labor chief to lend an air of legitimacy to a candidate and a political get together, neither of which could be stated to have executed, or could be anticipated to do, something to enhance the lives of the employees we’re pledged to symbolize,” he added. “The Teamsters performed a ballot of which nearly all of members selected to not assist Donald Trump.
“Members ought to demand that President O’Brien not take part within the Republican Conference, nor permit himself to shame this Union by creating the misunderstanding that Teamsters members assist Trump and all he stands for.”
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