- Nov 2, 2017
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While the Teamster's leader is hanging out with the MAGA elite, his union is less than pleased with his speech.
www.rollingstone.com
O’Brien’s turn at the RNC was not appreciated by everyone at the Teamsters. The union’s official Twitter account bashed him on Tuesday after he shared a piece about his speech by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). The piece, titled “The Promise of Pro-Labor Conservatism,” begins by suggesting that American workers are getting screwed because companies are using profits to “push diversity, equity, and inclusion and the religion of the trans flag.”
“Unions gain nothing from endorsing the racist, misogynistic, and anti-trans politics of the far right, no matter how much people like Sen. Hawley attempt to tether such bigotry to a cynical pro-labor message,” the Teamsters account wrote on X, adding: “You don’t unite a diverse working class by scoffing at its diversity.”
The Teamsters’ X account also shared a post from The Nation which said, “Despite Sean O’Brien’s support for Trump at the RNC, let’s be clear: A second Trump term would not be a win for the labor movement.” The account separately shared an X post asking: “Did anyone ask Sean O’Brien if he read the part in Project 2025 about Republicans wanting to end overtime pay? Do his union members know about this?” (Project 2025 is conservative groups’ controversial policy agenda for a second Trump term.)
O’Brien wants to have it both ways, but the labor movement is skeptical, as is his own union — as evinced not only by the rogue post on X, but what its vice president at large, John Palmer, wrote last week ahead of O’Brien’s appearance at the RNC: “It is unconscionable for any Labor leader to lend an air of legitimacy to a candidate and a political party, neither of which can be said to have done, or can be expected to do, anything to improve the lives of the workers we are pledged to represent.”
Union Twitter Account Goes Rogue After President Speaks at RNC
The Teamsters X account bashed the union's president, Sean O'Brien, after he delivered a speech at the RNC and cozied up to Josh Hawley.
www.rollingstone.com
O’Brien’s turn at the RNC was not appreciated by everyone at the Teamsters. The union’s official Twitter account bashed him on Tuesday after he shared a piece about his speech by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). The piece, titled “The Promise of Pro-Labor Conservatism,” begins by suggesting that American workers are getting screwed because companies are using profits to “push diversity, equity, and inclusion and the religion of the trans flag.”
“Unions gain nothing from endorsing the racist, misogynistic, and anti-trans politics of the far right, no matter how much people like Sen. Hawley attempt to tether such bigotry to a cynical pro-labor message,” the Teamsters account wrote on X, adding: “You don’t unite a diverse working class by scoffing at its diversity.”
The Teamsters’ X account also shared a post from The Nation which said, “Despite Sean O’Brien’s support for Trump at the RNC, let’s be clear: A second Trump term would not be a win for the labor movement.” The account separately shared an X post asking: “Did anyone ask Sean O’Brien if he read the part in Project 2025 about Republicans wanting to end overtime pay? Do his union members know about this?” (Project 2025 is conservative groups’ controversial policy agenda for a second Trump term.)
O’Brien wants to have it both ways, but the labor movement is skeptical, as is his own union — as evinced not only by the rogue post on X, but what its vice president at large, John Palmer, wrote last week ahead of O’Brien’s appearance at the RNC: “It is unconscionable for any Labor leader to lend an air of legitimacy to a candidate and a political party, neither of which can be said to have done, or can be expected to do, anything to improve the lives of the workers we are pledged to represent.”
