President of the Teamsters Union Addresses Republican National Convention in Historic First
“The speech is the clearest sign of a potential realignment in political loyalties that has Democrats nervous.”
If you needed further proof that the tectonic political plates of America are shifting, Sean M. O’Brien, the president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, spoke at the Republican National Convention last night. It was the first time in history that a president of the Teamsters Union has addressed the RNC.
There has been a lot of talk in recent years about making the GOP the party of working people. This would seem to indicate that people have been hearing that message.
Republicans have typically clashed with unions and there can certainly be debates on policy issues, but from a purely political perspective, this is a stunning development.
Axios reported:
Teamsters president Sean O’Brien savages big business in RNC speech
Teamsters president Sean O’Brien delivered a fiery address to close out the first night of the Republican National Convention, castigating big businesses and corporate lobby groups for “waging a war against American workers” — and calling for labor law reform.
Why it matters: O’Brien’s speech stood out among the partisan lineup because he did not endorse former President Trump, yet the Teamsters leader got the most speaking time of the evening.
The big picture: O’Brien’s prominence at the RNC highlights just how important the labor vote is this November, particularly in pivotal swing states like Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
- The speech is the clearest sign of a potential realignment in political loyalties that has Democrats nervous.
Zoom in: While the Teamsters have endorsed Republican presidential candidates previously, a union president had never spoken at an RNC before.
O’Brien praised Donald Trump for inviting him to speak at the convention and even praised Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri for his support of working people. It was a little surreal. O’Brien noted that there are plenty of members of the Teamsters who are planning to vote for Trump, despite the union’s leadership, which has historically supported Democrats.
This was probably his biggest applause line of the night.
Sean O'Brien (@teamstersob), General President of @Teamsters, on former President Trump: "I think we all can agree, whether people like him or they don't like him, in light of what happened to him on Saturday, he has proven to be one tough SOB." #RNCinMKE pic.twitter.com/lFK9ylTlsU
— CSPAN (@cspan) July 16, 2024
His speech was one of the longest ones of the evening, going on for about 17 minutes, but if you like, you can watch the whole thing below:
O’Brien was not even the only union member to speak at the event. Convention leaders invited a number of ‘Everyday Americans’ to speak at the convention and a man named Bob Bartels, a member of the Steamfitters Union and a lifelong Democrat, explained why he and other members of his union will be voting for Trump in November. Watch:
“This Union Democrat, along with many of my local union members, WILL BE VOTING TRUMP THIS NOVEMBER!”#RNCinMKE pic.twitter.com/TnYPNIL3O0
— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) July 16, 2024
It feels like we are witnessing a political shift unlike anything we have seen in years.
Featured image via YouTube.
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Comments
As the Teamsters are little more than racketeers, this could be one of those be careful what you wish for things.
I speak as someone who saw a business burned to the ground during “talks” to unionize a factory.
They have nearly destroyed UPS
Many US unions have this “throw off the evil capitalist pig chains of oppression!” mentality. It sounds good to many but it is destructive.
At least some of the European unions work WITH the companies to mutual benefit. Ours do not.
Europe govt, the people, pays for their health care and they retire at 50, have months of vacation, what’s to challenge for the unions?
You forget that many in the GOP now believe that the evil Capitalist Bourgeoisie oppress them with the base-superstructure of wokeness, and while the Capitalists and Elitist are irredeemable and must be liquidated as a class, the workers can unite and and save these dyes-in-the-wool corrupt wholly owned subsidiaries of the Left.
Yes. Why do the RNC decision-makers want to appeal to socialist thugs?
Distinguish between the rank-and-file and the bosses. This guy is just running to keep up with the union membership, who are pro-Trump.
My dad was a Teamster for 30+ years and was literally buried wearing his MAGA hat.
Me wonders if the unions are the best weapon against DEI.
You don’t fight a pitbull. You get another more dangerous and resilient dog to fight the pitbull for you.
The way to combat the long march through the institutions that brought us DEI isn’t to burn down the affected institutions, but deal with the root of the problem that infected these institutions.
Using the unions against “woke” businesses is like using one form of Leftist to defeat another form of Leftism.
UAW burned the kenosha K car plant to the ground. My father had a Dodge dealership in Berwyn
Union guy: We want $32/hour (in the 80’s) Management: I don’t have any $32/hr jobs I only have $28/hr
Management: Shutter it and move production to Ohio
Berrrrrwyyyyyyn!
True, but where I come from I saw mobsters do the same thing. But on the upside, those guys today would have cleared out migrants from the area before the first tent was pitched..
They are but as a 30yr truck driver I can tell you that the Teamster higher ups do not speak for the actual drivers. Overwhelmingly they vote Trump and reject the Dems nonsense
Expanding the tent is always good. But make no mistake, this guy spewed a LOT of Commie gobbledygook. For instance, The Pro Act would instantaneously roll-back right-to-work laws, championed by limited-government conservatives for decades, which have been the foundation upon what the great southern revival was built upon.
I’m on the fence regarding organized labor.
Teamsters are trash, PACE, IAM and IBEW are the truly skilled.
Skills keep the wheels turning, and the millions more like myself are all John Galt.
I wouldn’t join the IBEW unless my very life depended on it.
In some places your life does depend on it. IBEW can make the Teamsters look like cream-puffs in some places.
unions do destroy economies
but allowing him to speak…..its already done
use them like they use their dues paying membership
Most union mottos:
Thugs-R-Us
Stay away.
“….. yet the Teamsters leader got the most speaking time of the evening.”
Because, from what I understand, he is running for office. The audience reception overall, to me, was a bit lukewarm.
Biden green new deal is bad for US auto industry. EVs should not be mandated.
Why the hell did the RNC let a communist speak?
Unions are communist organizations that claim ownership of the labor of individuals.
They produce nothing except strife.
agree 100000%
They produce some very healthy salaries and perks for the leaders. Just like with communism.
There’s a reason why the employed staff of many big unions have their own union to keep the big union they work for in check.
Blue collar workers uniting under the union banner is a joke.
As Lenin wrote….the path to communism is through the unions. When I think of present day unions…I see NEA and SEIU.
I can’t think of a worse Union than the Nea
You have to remember that many on the Right just want a pro-Trump version of the Wobblies.
Not all unions have members cut from the same cloth.
There is a huge difference between service unions comprised of gullible custodians and the International Association of Machinists.
One complains while the other produces.
The issue is producers vs destroyers. Where have I read this?
I think you’re right. There are distinct differences between trade unions/guilds and other kinds of unions, particularly so-called ‘public service unions (I don’t believe government employees should be allowed to unionize, Full Stop). But, where all kinds of unions lose me is when they use government power to make membership mandatory. That should never be allowed. If Unions think they can make a compelling value proposition for membership in their union, then they should make it. If it truly is compelling, people will join.
Absolutely! They should never have been allowed to unionize. Reversing that would be a step in the direction of Americans being a Virtuous People.
From the earliest days of Guilds, their purpose was to control prices, quality and who could practice the trade. It was about protectionism and monopolies from the very start.
Not all unions have members cut from the same cloth.
Wrong . They’re all cut from the same cloth.
Red.
Just one more indicator how Democrats cannot win elections anymore. Yet they do.
But of course there is no evidence elections are stolen.
they were afraid to rid him off the stage
his bullying affect was obvious
glad the rnc took the opp to invite him
but make no mistakes
his will be an unwanted friend you allowed into your house party but he wont leave until he wants to
so while glad they invited him to show inclusion
they need to make sure their fiscal policies lean pro middle class
which will in it self set the tone against the unions
but the whole time including them when its in our best interest to do so
and the public sector unions should be illegal
“CO: I want snipers in rooftop overwatch with overlapping fields of fire.
SNIPER: No can do, Skipper. Those roofs are too steep;.”
– A conversation that has never happened in the history of the Marine Corps….so far. Who knows what the DEI future brings.
Lol. Damn. I put this in the wrong thread. Tab confusion.
“Folks… do YOU suffer from… tab confusion?”
(the ads write themselves; I just don’t know what the product might be.)
Trump should go and speak to the Teamsters Union now. Talk to the members directly.
Lay out for them how the R agenda helps workers, and how the D’s destroys the economy.