Just because union members aren't feeling cozy towards the DNC (funny how the same issue keeps coming up- DNC losing votes from groups they think "owe" them fealty then using the loss as a justification for moving ever rightward). I understand people who argue about the extreme difficulty a third party faces but I also don't know how many more times most voters who would be happy to stay Democrats if the Democrats actually worked on more progressive and pro-worker, pro-egalitarian issues instead of whatever their lobbyists pay them to do.
Good point. I certainly share SoB's critique that Dems aren't advancing union interests. They need to do more, but they're lightyears better than Republicans.
This is why union politics needs to be based on democratic collective structures of dialogue. That QR code would have been a mixture of right-wing organising and disenfranchised members throwing some sand in the gears of the international.
For sure. I can see Charlie Kirk telling his audience to go fill it out (if possible). That's just an example, but a big reason pollsters don't use unreliable methods such as this.
Yeah it’s completely unscientific. I remember when the polling first came out. It was so shocking. But now knowing it was opt-in. No union leader does this unless there is an outcome they are looking for.
It would be good to know if they even checked for repeat votes, or for that matter membership. You could require information to be put in but if all you are distributing is a QR with no validation then you are begging for it to be spammed.
The Teamsters are not a fully democratic organization, which creates a lot of the problems we're seeing. There's a group called Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) working to democratize the institution. I've been thinking about trying to interview one of them. Maybe this should be my motivation to finally do it, lol.
Absolutely do it. I would like to learn more about why they are structured the way they are. From the outside it seems like this is not the first time the union leaders have been out of step with the rank and file.
Great piece Joe, actively motivated me to look up my local teamsters! Cynically, I think there are more dubious reasons for why SoB would align more with the right, but I have no proof so I won’t accuse. Just hope this is a blip of questionable leadership, not a trend.
I worked part time in a UPS warehouse and I found most union members are outrageously apathetic. I find the overall image being misconstrued. I think it is less individual members moving rightward and more union members participating less in both their union and democracy. In spite of the flawed polling on SOB's part I will hypothesize that the democratic party is losing their stranglehold on overall membership. My 2 cents.
That makes sense. To be clear, I think some things SoB says about Democrats taking union support for granted are true. They're better than the Republicans, but need to do more to advance workers' interests and drive support.
I do appreciate you promulgating SOB's horrible takes. I was charitable to his position for awhile(cozying up to the trump admin to spare the union). But it is clear to me now that he is grifting rank and file members for further political gain. Maybe he wants to go for a senate seat or the whitehouse and thinks he can surf a thin line on the backs of members.
Thank for this analysis, Joe. It’s clear that SoB prefers right-wing politicians but doesn’t want to blatantly say it. At the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if he just shifts back in 2028, he just seems to be slimy.
(His silence on Gaza shows he doesn’t actually care about solidarity. The other major unions have spoken out.)
Eh, I respectfully disagree. Maybe I'm speaking purely anecdotally as a member of the building trades, and while i can say i've worked with plenty of democrats/anti-trump guys, it genuinely feels like most union members (like most people) are largely apathetic, and if not apathetic, pretty culturally right wing. Which seems to be what they vote on because they are so economically secure (thanks to their unions!).
All of this is trump dick riding, for lack of a better term. And it's not because union leadership doesn't know better!! They *understand* how bad trump is (unanimous building trades support for kamala), but they're afraid to politically engage their memberships, who are (unfortunately!!) Trump's base (working class white men). of course there are exceptions (LiUNA and IUPAT come to mind), but by and large it feels like union leaders are ultimately either enormous pussies who are afraid of having tough conversations with their membership, or they're playing some king of long game that i'm too stupid to understand. But their membership sure as shit voted for trump.
“which is a Republican who votes for corporate interests but pretends to be sad about it afterwards.”
Brilliant.
He has the same complex as the Sillicon Valley guys. “The Republicans make ME feel special. Who cares about everyone else?”
Exactly.
Just because union members aren't feeling cozy towards the DNC (funny how the same issue keeps coming up- DNC losing votes from groups they think "owe" them fealty then using the loss as a justification for moving ever rightward). I understand people who argue about the extreme difficulty a third party faces but I also don't know how many more times most voters who would be happy to stay Democrats if the Democrats actually worked on more progressive and pro-worker, pro-egalitarian issues instead of whatever their lobbyists pay them to do.
Good point. I certainly share SoB's critique that Dems aren't advancing union interests. They need to do more, but they're lightyears better than Republicans.
This is why union politics needs to be based on democratic collective structures of dialogue. That QR code would have been a mixture of right-wing organising and disenfranchised members throwing some sand in the gears of the international.
For sure. I can see Charlie Kirk telling his audience to go fill it out (if possible). That's just an example, but a big reason pollsters don't use unreliable methods such as this.
Yeah it’s completely unscientific. I remember when the polling first came out. It was so shocking. But now knowing it was opt-in. No union leader does this unless there is an outcome they are looking for.
It would be good to know if they even checked for repeat votes, or for that matter membership. You could require information to be put in but if all you are distributing is a QR with no validation then you are begging for it to be spammed.
I had bought the idea that the working class was moving to the right.
Thank you for showing me that was wrong.
It doesn't surprise me. Literally everyone is saying it!!
Question: can Teamsters members oust him? Is it an elected position?
The Teamsters are not a fully democratic organization, which creates a lot of the problems we're seeing. There's a group called Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) working to democratize the institution. I've been thinking about trying to interview one of them. Maybe this should be my motivation to finally do it, lol.
Absolutely do it. I would like to learn more about why they are structured the way they are. From the outside it seems like this is not the first time the union leaders have been out of step with the rank and file.
Great piece Joe, actively motivated me to look up my local teamsters! Cynically, I think there are more dubious reasons for why SoB would align more with the right, but I have no proof so I won’t accuse. Just hope this is a blip of questionable leadership, not a trend.
Thanks Stephen! Based on all available data, local Teamsters are far better than the national.
Just talking to Bari Weiss shows which side he’s on - full corporate/Israeli/anti-union Republican.
SoB is a scab.
I worked part time in a UPS warehouse and I found most union members are outrageously apathetic. I find the overall image being misconstrued. I think it is less individual members moving rightward and more union members participating less in both their union and democracy. In spite of the flawed polling on SOB's part I will hypothesize that the democratic party is losing their stranglehold on overall membership. My 2 cents.
That makes sense. To be clear, I think some things SoB says about Democrats taking union support for granted are true. They're better than the Republicans, but need to do more to advance workers' interests and drive support.
I do appreciate you promulgating SOB's horrible takes. I was charitable to his position for awhile(cozying up to the trump admin to spare the union). But it is clear to me now that he is grifting rank and file members for further political gain. Maybe he wants to go for a senate seat or the whitehouse and thinks he can surf a thin line on the backs of members.
Thank for this analysis, Joe. It’s clear that SoB prefers right-wing politicians but doesn’t want to blatantly say it. At the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if he just shifts back in 2028, he just seems to be slimy.
(His silence on Gaza shows he doesn’t actually care about solidarity. The other major unions have spoken out.)
Eh, I respectfully disagree. Maybe I'm speaking purely anecdotally as a member of the building trades, and while i can say i've worked with plenty of democrats/anti-trump guys, it genuinely feels like most union members (like most people) are largely apathetic, and if not apathetic, pretty culturally right wing. Which seems to be what they vote on because they are so economically secure (thanks to their unions!).
But look no further than NABTU's press release after trump's election (https://nabtu.org/press_releases/nabtu-statement-on-trump-vance-inauguration/), and if you're able to find it, their leaked internal memo about proudly staying silent in the face of millions of lost man-hours due to the repeal of Biden era IRA projects. And, even more damningly, their pathetic statement where they grovel about their millions of lost man-hours and then call for the gestapo to arrest a few dozen laborers (https://nabtu.org/press_releases/blue-collar-construction-workers-and-their-families-need-your-help-mr-president/).
All of this is trump dick riding, for lack of a better term. And it's not because union leadership doesn't know better!! They *understand* how bad trump is (unanimous building trades support for kamala), but they're afraid to politically engage their memberships, who are (unfortunately!!) Trump's base (working class white men). of course there are exceptions (LiUNA and IUPAT come to mind), but by and large it feels like union leaders are ultimately either enormous pussies who are afraid of having tough conversations with their membership, or they're playing some king of long game that i'm too stupid to understand. But their membership sure as shit voted for trump.