The International Federation of Firefighters (IAFF) announced Thursday that it will not endorse a candidate in this year's presidential election, becoming the second major union to do so in recent weeks.
The IAFF Board of Directors was an early supporter of President Biden's 2020 candidacy. stated in a statement In the race between Vice President Harris and former President Trump, members revealed that they voted not to support the candidate by a margin of 1.2 percentage points.
“Over the past year, the IAFF has taken unprecedented steps to listen to our members on candidates and the policy issues that matter most to them,” union President Edward Kelly said of the decision.
“As with our 106-year history, IAFF will continue to work to improve the lives of firefighters and their families,” Kelly added. “The IAFF Board of Directors has decided that by acting shoulder to shoulder as a union, we can better advocate for our members and advance the issues that matter to them. We take this decision very seriously. This is the best way to maintain and strengthen our unity.”
labor union Announced in April 2019said he supports Biden's candidacy for the White House, as the Democratic primary is still in its early stages. The president spoke at the union's 2023 legislative session and told firefighters in attendance, “I'm rooting for you.”
IAFF's decision not to endorse comes after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, one of the nation's largest labor unions, announced it would not endorse a candidate in this year's White House race. It's about.
Although Teamsters leadership said it would not support a candidate between Trump and Harris, many local Teamsters chapters quickly announced their support for the vice president.
Harris has the support of several others major organized labor Since she replaced Biden at the top of the Democratic Party, the group, Includes United Auto Workers Union. Harris has signaled that she intends to continue many of the same labor policies as Biden, who has often touted himself as the most pro-union president in history.
