Democrats are working to keep a critical voting bloc in their camp come November, and they are increasingly relying on union leaders for help.
Former President Donald Trump is hoping to build on gains he made with rank-and-file members of organized labor through his protectionist policies and attempts to paint the Democrats as out-of-touch elites.
But Democrats are seeking to counter those efforts by giving a big platform to the heads of unions, while seemingly punishing those who express openness to the GOP’s populist shift.
The strategy could be seen at the Democratic National Convention, where Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, led the crowd in calling Trump a “scab” and “lapdog of the billionaire class.”
“Kamala Harris is one of us,” Fain said in a Monday night speech. “She’s a fighter for the working class. And Donald Trump is a scab.”
Meanwhile, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien was apparently snubbed from speaking at the convention, a decision largely attributed to his openness to Trump. He made waves in July for agreeing to speak at the Republican National Convention.
“I could take it personally, but I honestly think maybe my invitation got lost in the U.S. Postal Service,” O’Brien quipped to Fox News this week. “Next time they should try to ship with UPS — it’ll guarantee delivery.”
The Teamsters are a largely male union of 1.3 million members consisting of truckers and UPS drivers, a more Trump-friendly bunch than labor groups representing teachers or service workers.
Read more at Washingtonexaminer.com
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