Teamsters union's $45,000 RNC donation exposes divisions among members
The split comes as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are vying for the powerful union’s endorsement.
Feb. 23, 2024, 4:55 PM EST
By Megan Lebowitz
WASHINGTON — The Teamsters’ political action committee broke decades of precedent last month when the union leadership voted to approve a $45,000 donation to the Republican National Committee’s convention fund.
In recent years, Teamsters donations have been given primarily to Democrats. This year's donation to the RNC convention fund marked the labor union's pivot to large donations to both parties, though the vast majority of donations still flow to liberals.
The January vote to approve the donation is igniting frustration among some members, who in interviews with NBC News were blunt in expressing their disapproval of the move: "Disgusting." "Disheartening." "Playing footsie."
NBC News spoke with 10 Teamsters members about the contribution, which highlighted a rift in membership about politics and about former President Donald Trump in particular. Though some celebrated the move, others are considering pausing their contributions to DRIVE, the Teamsters PAC. Critics of the donation say they refuse to contribute funds if they will eventually go to support Republicans who hold views that they believe are antithetical to their union goals.
The last time the 1.3 million-person labor union participated in both parties’ conventions was in 2000, when George W. Bush accepted his party’s nomination at the convention in Philadelphia, according to a Teamsters spokesperson. DRIVE is nonpartisan, according to the union's website, and stands for Democrat, Republican, Independent Voter Education.
Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are vying for the powerful union's endorsement. Teamsters backed Biden in 2020, but has yet to endorse a presidential candidate for the 2024 cycle.
"If I were a rank-and-file member, and they continued playing footsie with a party that's trying to kill us, I would have considered it," said John Palmer, Teamsters vice president at-large, who said he was one of the few leadership members to vote against the RNC convention donation.
Palmer, an outspoken critic of Trump, ultimately decided to continue donating to DRIVE because his leadership position deals with PAC-related matters. But other members are taking the jump.
Two Teamsters members of Local 728 in Atlanta told NBC News that they plan to discontinue donations to DRIVE because of the RNC convention donation.
“I’m well aware that we do have Republicans in our union. But anyone can see his record,” said Evette Avery, referring to Trump. “Stands for itself when it comes to unions and workers, and it’s never been favorable."
Her colleague David Courtenay-Quirk, who worked with union organizers to encourage members to contribute to the PAC when he first joined Teamsters, said that "playing with somebody like Trump is beyond the pale, in my opinion."
Christophe Silvera, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 808 in New York City, went further, questioning, "Why would the union give money to an organization that is wholly anti-union?"
"There is something unholy about a union that would give $45,000 to — I don't call them the Republicans anymore," Silvera said. "It's the Confederate party."
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The Teamsters PAC donated an identical sum to the Democratic National Committee's convention fund.
more:
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/teamsters-unions-45000-rnc-donation-exposes-divisions-members-rcna140136
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