Former President Donald Trump and his new running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), are scheduled to speak together on Saturday in Michigan, a bastion of private-sector unionism and the historic home of the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Democratic Party activism.
But now Trump and Vance, semi-backed by the Teamsters, are threatening the legitimacy of the UAW and the Democratic Party. Detroit Free Press capture This dynamic moment: “Teamsters break with tradition and UAW approach in speech at Republican National Convention.”
This, of course, is a reference to a speech given by Teamsters Chairman Sean O’Brien at the Republican National Convention on July 15. As president of the 1.3 million-member organization, O’Brien said: International Truck Drivers UnionHe is certainly an original man, and a strong one at that – after all, timid people don’t thrive in the Teamsters, and wimps can’t stand up to the will of the AFL-CIO hardliners.
But O’Brien is a tough guy. His Twitter/X handle reads:Wow” is, of course, a play on his name. But with this double meaning, he also sees himself as a tough guy. And as a self-described motherfucker. To know yourself, you need yourself.
In a brilliant speech in Milwaukee, O’Brien talked He praised Trump, saying he’s “proved to be a really tough guy.” The audience loved it.
Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump is introduced during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 16, 2024. At right is Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio. (AP Photo/Paul Sancia)
O’Brien was actually the first Teamster leader to speak at a Republican convention (though other Teamster leaders have spoken as well). approved O’Brien continued his praise, saying, “The 45th president has had the guts to open the door to this Republican National Convention, which is unprecedented.”
O’Brien then launched a fierce attack on American companies.
Corporations fire workers who try to join a union, hiding behind ineffective laws that are meant to protect workers but are rigged to benefit corporations. This is the height of economic terrorism, and no individual can withstand such attacks.
Are companies committing “economic terrorism”? This is something that is not typically discussed at the Republican Convention, and it remains to be seen how many Republicans will agree to it.
Meanwhile, O’Brien’s speech in Milwaukee was full of symbolism and controversy, but unlike the other major speakers, he didn’t actually endorse Trump. Still, he praised Trump for his toughness and openness, and Vance for “really caring about working people.”
President Donald Trump speaks at the signing ceremony for the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) on the South Promenade of the White House on January 29, 2020. (Official White House Photo by D. Miles Cullen via Flickr)
Reuters Reports Teamsters representatives have requested speaking time at the Democratic Convention in Chicago, but have yet to receive a clear yes or no response. The Teamsters may not support it. Any If they were to withdraw their nomination, it would be a blow to President Joe Biden, who won their support four years ago.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary for Biden who became Biden’s press secretary for MSNBC, said of O’Brien’s appearance at the Republican National Convention, “This hurts a little bit.” The Washington Post readAccording to the article, “‘Betrayed’: Unions and White House outraged by Teamsters chairman’s speech at Republican National Convention,” O’Brien’s appearance “sent shock waves through labor and Democratic circles.”
Still, the Teamsters do not have A Republican organization, under O’Brien’s leadership the union aims to move down the middle, looking out for the interests of its members rather than political parties. vinegarBy 2024, the Teamsters Donated $45,000 to the Republican National Committee and $150,000 to the Democratic Party.
O’Brien has openly spoken about seeking the best possible deal for the Teamsters, telling Republican delegates:
Wherever we find common ground, our focus must always be on protecting American workers. To achieve great things for workers and truly hold employers across the country accountable to their workers, we need as many people as possible to pull in the same direction to get the job done.
A look at O’Brien’s Twitter/X feed reveals a lot about his search efforts. For example, on July 16, he Praised Massachusetts State Police were deployed to the Republican Convention. He also Condemned Amazon’s anti-union tactics (a topic I and other Breitbart News reporters have documented) are in fact Special Forces He is focused on unionizing the e-commerce giant. In addition, O’Brien Quote The Teamsters won eight states, two of which wereRight to Work” State, Arkansas and Oklahoma — more on that below.
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, speaks during the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Interestingly, O’Brien Praised Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) wrote in a July 16 article: compact It is titled “The Promise of Pro-Labor Conservatism.”
“As Mr. O’Brien’s appearance on Monday night demonstrated, this is a watershed moment,” Hawley wrote. Thanks to Donald Trump, there is already a lot that Republicans and workers can agree on.” compactThis is an interesting new publication, by the way, which aims for the kind of politics advocated by Pope Leo XIII in 1890 and embodied in the Christian Democrats in Europe and the New Deal in the United States in the 1930s. Hawley went on to speak on a wide range of topics, from trade protections to electric vehicles and qualifications.
China is scamming us, and we need to maintain and expand our strong tariffs. We should support autoworkers with an America First energy policy instead of undermining our historic auto industry with a foolish electric vehicle mandate. We should renegotiate trade deals, protect Social Security and Medicare, and bring antitrust lawsuits against the most egregious corporate abuses.
In fact, Hawley sounded like an SOB when criticizing corporate America: “Their executives sold out America a long time ago, shutting down our factories, taking American jobs, and using the profits to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and the belief in the transgender flag.”
Then a Missouri lawmaker went a step further and made a bit of news. “Republicans could also work on bipartisan labor reform, something O’Brien suggested could be a signature achievement.”
President Donald Trump, surrounded by American steelworkers, signs Section 232 Proclamation on Steel and Aluminum Imports, which imposes tariffs to protect the U.S. steel industry, at the White House on March 9, 2018. (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Bogosian via Flickr)
Labor laws are more than a century old, so it is unclear what exactly will be reformed. However, the two most important labor laws were, first, the Wagner Act of 1935 (the labor movement’s so-called “Magna Carta”) and, second, the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 (which partially nullified the Wagner Act by allowing states to implement “right to work” options). this Right to Work The foregoing provisions loved Business and Hated By labor. For 77 years, the Taft-Hartley Act Private sector unionization (By contrast, public sector unionization is thriving.) In Milwaukee, Mr. O’Brien was a staunch supporter of the union cause and had a particular disdain for labor rights.
For most Republicans, the thought of changing the labor status quo is frightening. But hasn’t there been a lot of unrest within the Republican Party over the past decade? surely, An even bigger tremor was seen this week in Milwaukee, where Republicans gathered. do not have We hear from former party leaders such as George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. Perhaps trembling, or Convert – To be continued.
Here at Breitbart News, I have often speculated that the Republican Party is the conscious party of police officers, nurses, and other workers. Well, it will be interesting to see if and how the Republicans can find a middle ground for both Sean O’Brien and, say, Elon Musk (the latter of whom is no fan of unions). we You might also be wondering about the adjustments needed to reconcile trade unions with developments in apps, blockchain, artificial intelligence, gig work, working from home, and so on.
President Donald Trump speaks at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, March 15, 2017. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead via Flickr)
The guiding principles of any new plan should, of course, be improving workers’ standards of living, promoting dignity in the workplace (however defined), and encouraging strong families and communities.
Can Trump, Vance, Hawley and O’Brien find such common ground? As I wait and watch, Holly’s final sentence captures my heart. compact Essay: “Perhaps within the next few years it will not be so surprising to see the president of the Teamsters speak at the Republican National Convention.”
