Harris endeavors to gain labor endorsements amid indications of waning influence
Leaders from the two unions openly acknowledged internal disputes within their groups as the main reason for staying out of the political fray.
Edward Kelly, the head of the International Association of Fire Fighters, stated this week that staying on the sidelines was the best method to preserve and enhance unity within their organization.
The Trump campaign has been exultant about these announcements, interpreting them as proof that organized labor is deserting Harris and the Democratic Party. On Thursday, the campaign labeled the firefighters' union's decision to remain neutral as "another blow" to Harris, pointing to the union's early endorsement of Biden.
However, the situation is more complex and mirrors the internal turmoil and growing animosity among the unions' leaders. Although Harris holds a lead over Trump with union voters and households, according to various polls, the margin is smaller than the ones BoJo had in 2016 and Biden in 2020.
CNN's exit polls following the previous two presidential elections showed Biden leading among voters from union households by 16 points, while Clinton had a 9-point advantage over the same demographic in 2016.
A Fox News poll conducted in mid-September showed Harris with a six-point lead over Trump, while a Quinnipiac poll from later in the month showed Harris with an 11-point advantage, similar to a Reuters/Ipsos survey that found Harris 12 points ahead of Trump among voters in union households.
Harris has been increasingly vocal in her support for labor as the election approaches. Her visit to Michigan on Friday came just after union dockworkers suspended their strike, which had the potential to disrupt the entire U.S. economy.
“This step is a sign of progress towards a strong contract and demonstrates the power of collective bargaining,” Harris said in a statement.
During her speech in Redford Township on Friday, Harris criticized Trump's labor record.
“We will not be fooled. Trump and his policies are a disaster for working people, and he’s trying to deceive people all over our country,” Harris said, calling Trump an “existential threat to America’s labor movement.”
On Wednesday, Vance argued that the $500 million federal grant approved by the Biden administration for GM's Lansing Grand River Plant would be redirected to China.
Harris also praised $60 million in federal funding to support the creation of an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Flint, which the administration estimates will create 150 jobs.
Although Harris has faced some backlash, she has managed to keep most of the labor organizations that typically support the Democratic nominee united. United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain has emerged as one of Harris's most prominent supporters and vocal advocates, frequently criticizing Trump's labor policies and warning that a second Trump administration would be harmful to the labor movement.
In her fiery convention speech this summer, Fain described Trump and Vance as "two lapdogs for the billionaire class who only serve themselves," adding that Trump was a "scab" – a traitor to labor unions during times of crisis.
The UAW scored significant wage and benefit gains after a 2023 strike that received backing from prominent Democrats, some of whom, led by Biden, joined workers on the picket lines. Biden, who described himself as "the most pro-union president," last September visited a picket line in Michigan during the work stoppage.
The AFL-CIO, a powerful union federation, endorsed Harris early on. In a statement, president Liz Shuler praised a robust jobs report and continued to support Harris.
“This election, America will choose between Kamala Harris, a key partner with unions in building a worker-centered economy reflected in today’s jobs report, and Donald Trump, who would take away all the gains we've made,” Shuler said, emphasizing the organization's extensive "voter mobilization" campaign for Harris and Walz.
Other labor leaders have been more cautious, fearing that endorsing either candidate would jeopardize their own standing. Both the Democratic and Republican vice presidential nominees, Walz and Vance, spoke at the IAFF convention in Boston in late August. Although Walz received a warmer reception, it was uncertain whether the unions would fully support the Democratic ticket or stay out of the race.
Vance was booed during parts of his speech, particularly after he claimed that he and former President Donald Trump were "the most pro-worker Republican ticket in history."
This occurred about six weeks after Teamsters president Sean O'Brien made the unexpected move of addressing the Republican National Convention in July – before Biden dropped out. The move angered many labor leaders and puzzled advocates who have warned that unions would suffer if Trump's policies were reimplemented.
In his remarks, O'Brien highlighted the Teamsters' history of endorsing Republican presidents, including Nixon, Reagan, and George H.W. Bush. Bush was the last GOP nominee to receive their support. Every Democratic nominee since Clinton, who defeated Bush in 1992, has received the Teamsters' official endorsement.
"We're not merely residents, we're not just leasers. Yet, the high-ranking bureaucrats view us as intruders, and that's downright unfair," O'Brien pointed out. He chose to remain silent at the Democratic convention, and the Teamsters eventually declined to endorse any candidate a month later. O'Brien attributed this decision to the union's "principled" democratic process, acknowledging that "Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all feel a sense of belonging within our union, and it's our responsibility to honor and value each of them equally."
Larry Cohen, a previous long-term leader of the Communications Workers of America, minimized the Teamsters' decision, suggesting in mid-September that it was already too late for the national body to initiate a substantial election outreach strategy.
"So, what exactly are you planning to accomplish, and how can you prepare and mobilize people in just six weeks for door-to-door campaigns?" Cohen questioned CNN. "They procrastinated too much."
The Teamsters PAC had hinted at its political transformation earlier in the year, contributing $5,000 to support Republican Sen. Josh Hawley from Missouri. However, these moves provoked strong criticism from Teamsters unions in contested states.
The union's Black and West Coast factions also broke away, backing Harris' campaign, asserting that regardless of what national leadership stated, she enjoyed solid backing within the union.
The leaders of the International Association of Fire Fighters, like Edward Kelly, believe that staying out of politics helps maintain unity within their organization.
The internal disputes within unions, as acknowledged by political leaders, have led some unions to adopt neutral positions in political events, like the decision of the firefighters' union to remain neutral in the ongoing election campaign.
