‘Union Joe,’ Harris, and Trump All Improved Union Support — but Not Sufficiently
Union's evaluation: The candidates for the 2024 election lack the necessary strength.
TroibNews 
PHILADELPHIA — Joe Biden’s strong ties to organized labor have earned him the nickname Union Joe, while Donald Trump's bold populism has attracted rank-and-file union members. Kamala Harris has received endorsements from several prominent union leaders.
However, union members express some reservations about the future.
“Change is weird for everyone, and we have change coming upon us,” remarked Ray Marini, a leader of the local sprinkler fitters union, as he hosted a well-attended event with Biden in northern Philadelphia on Friday. He acknowledged the “nervous energy” within the labor movement following Harris's ascension to the top of the ticket.
Biden has vigorously championed his vice president, and Marini indicated that he and many other union leaders in this vital swing state are focused on making the economic case for Harris to their members. The rank-and-file at Friday’s event expressed their intent to support Harris, largely influenced by their confidence in Biden’s judgment.
Wayne Miller, the head of the sprinkler fitters union, expressed strong optimism: “She’s going to be absolutely fantastic, and she’s going to surprise a lot of people.” He added, “We win in Philadelphia. And we win because of the union.”
Nonetheless, union members in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia harbor doubts about the labor records and commitments of Harris, Trump, and Biden.
Despite Biden’s pro-labor appointments to the National Labor Relations Board and his backing of a bill that rescued struggling union pensions, some members remain unconvinced of his claims to be pro-labor in office. Harris faces heightened skepticism as a relatively new party leader.
“I don’t think anyone is pro-union,” said Karen, a 65-year-old retired teacher who preferred to remain anonymous. She shared that a retired electrician recently approached her door in the Penn Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh. “It’s up to us. The workers have to make our voices heard.”
Harris missed the endorsements of three unions that supported Biden in 2020, and polling indicates a continued trend of working-class voters leaning toward Trump. Some aides to Harris are frustrated by these non-endorsements, privately asserting that key union leaders lacked the "courage" to urge their rank-and-file members to back the candidate with a pro-labor record.
Harris's focus on engaging Republicans and fundraising with wealthy contributors has further fueled skepticism among some members of the organized labor movement.
“All Democrats and all Republicans are not monolithic, right? There are people you can work with. There's others that you know, they do one thing for you, and 40 years later, they're still, you know, expecting to get a pat on the back for it, and that's not how things operate,” commented Kara Deniz, spokeswoman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which chose not to endorse either presidential candidate.
The Teamsters' decision stemmed partly from a perceived lack of commitments from Harris regarding support for striking workers, as well as polling within ranks that favored Trump, Deniz explained.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who oversees around 60 unions and 13 million members, is leading a door-knocking initiative aimed at connecting with 5 million people in battleground states. She noted that union members make up about 20 percent of voters in key blue wall states. In a recent press call, she revealed that approximately 64 percent of canvassed union members support Harris, compared to 19 percent for Trump.
The United Auto Workers is also engaged in a door-knocking campaign to reach nearly 300,000 workers and retirees, reporting support figures of 62 percent for Harris and 33 percent for Trump based on a recent press release.
However, the lack of strong backing from organized labor for both presidential candidates has caused some unions to remain on the sidelines this election, opting against endorsements. Besides the Teamsters, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Longshoremen's Association also withheld endorsements. In a video interview leading up to the longshoremen's strike this October, which concluded after about two days with a tentative agreement, president Harold Daggett criticized Biden's commitment to unions.
“Where’s the president of the United States? He’s not fighting for us. He told in LA, he told the union, hurry up and get a contract. That’s the mentality they have,” Daggett stated.
Despite Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, having longstanding ties to labor, he has faced challenges in garnering key union support, particularly from male-dominated industrial unions. Harris campaign officials have even contended that Walz was not closely involved in the negotiations around important union endorsements after they fell apart, which drew some backlash due to his public criticisms of certain union leaders as overtly political operators.
However, some union members supporting Harris have privately acknowledged the validity of their colleagues’ concerns regarding her track record, particularly regarding immigration and rising costs of living.
One senior union official described an internal debate about whether to endorse Harris, noting that fellow members cited her perceived shortcomings on immigration and inflation as reasons for their hesitance.
“Some of these things may have happened on her watch. Maybe some things in hindsight might have [been] done different. But also, a lot of really good things have happened under the Biden-Harris administration,” the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive discussions. “You can't hang that shit around her neck without giving her the accolades for where this country has turned around,” they added.
A Harris official contended that the vice president's record is not comparable to Trump’s, mentioning the former president’s appointment of “union busters” to the National Labor Relations Board.
“Biden and Harris saved billions in Teamsters union pensions, and Trump threatened to withhold emergency funds for union firefighters risking their lives in wildfires,” the official noted.
Yet, some rank-and-file Harris supporters share concerns about the Biden-Harris administration’s performance.
“When [Biden] first got in, he disappointed me with the pipeline,” said Mark Provenza, a retired letter carrier, referencing the Keystone XL Pipeline. “You’re supposed to be the pro-union guy.” Meanwhile, Provenza expressed disappointment that Biden did not support railway workers who sought to strike in 2022 but faced restrictions under the Railway Labor Act. He anticipates that Harris will approach labor similarly to Biden.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Union members canvassing in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia aimed to persuade voters that Harris will protect member benefits and strengthen unions. However, some undecided voters from union households remained unconvinced. A few indicated they might not vote at all.
“We know that unions are basically on the line,” Shuler noted in an interview at the Allegheny-Fayette County Central Labor Council office ahead of a canvassing event. “[It’s] whether there's a future with unions where workers can collectively bargain and fight for better wages or, as we know, in Project 2025 the elimination of public sector unions and things like overtime and safety and health protections.”
The Trump campaign distanced itself from Project 2025, asserting that no policy is official unless it originates from Trump.
“American laborers and unions support President Trump because they have paid the price for Kamala's failed economic policies over the past four years,” stated Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary.
Dino Guastella, a Teamster from Philadelphia whose local has endorsed Harris, believes Harris should highlight the successes of the Biden Administration to resonate with union members and working-class voters.
“I think it’s a mistake. She should be taking credit for the infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act,” Guastella said while campaigning for Harris outside the UPS Warehouse. “Those all brought good blue-collar jobs.” He cited Biden’s efforts in fixing I-95 after it collapsed as an achievement worth mentioning.
However, he acknowledged the challenge of influencing undecided voters with just weeks left until Election Day, even with a focus on policy.
Lawrence Ukenye contributed to this report.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
However, union members express some reservations about the future.
“Change is weird for everyone, and we have change coming upon us,” remarked Ray Marini, a leader of the local sprinkler fitters union, as he hosted a well-attended event with Biden in northern Philadelphia on Friday. He acknowledged the “nervous energy” within the labor movement following Harris's ascension to the top of the ticket.
Biden has vigorously championed his vice president, and Marini indicated that he and many other union leaders in this vital swing state are focused on making the economic case for Harris to their members. The rank-and-file at Friday’s event expressed their intent to support Harris, largely influenced by their confidence in Biden’s judgment.
Wayne Miller, the head of the sprinkler fitters union, expressed strong optimism: “She’s going to be absolutely fantastic, and she’s going to surprise a lot of people.” He added, “We win in Philadelphia. And we win because of the union.”
Nonetheless, union members in both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia harbor doubts about the labor records and commitments of Harris, Trump, and Biden.
Despite Biden’s pro-labor appointments to the National Labor Relations Board and his backing of a bill that rescued struggling union pensions, some members remain unconvinced of his claims to be pro-labor in office. Harris faces heightened skepticism as a relatively new party leader.
“I don’t think anyone is pro-union,” said Karen, a 65-year-old retired teacher who preferred to remain anonymous. She shared that a retired electrician recently approached her door in the Penn Hills neighborhood of Pittsburgh. “It’s up to us. The workers have to make our voices heard.”
Harris missed the endorsements of three unions that supported Biden in 2020, and polling indicates a continued trend of working-class voters leaning toward Trump. Some aides to Harris are frustrated by these non-endorsements, privately asserting that key union leaders lacked the "courage" to urge their rank-and-file members to back the candidate with a pro-labor record.
Harris's focus on engaging Republicans and fundraising with wealthy contributors has further fueled skepticism among some members of the organized labor movement.
“All Democrats and all Republicans are not monolithic, right? There are people you can work with. There's others that you know, they do one thing for you, and 40 years later, they're still, you know, expecting to get a pat on the back for it, and that's not how things operate,” commented Kara Deniz, spokeswoman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which chose not to endorse either presidential candidate.
The Teamsters' decision stemmed partly from a perceived lack of commitments from Harris regarding support for striking workers, as well as polling within ranks that favored Trump, Deniz explained.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who oversees around 60 unions and 13 million members, is leading a door-knocking initiative aimed at connecting with 5 million people in battleground states. She noted that union members make up about 20 percent of voters in key blue wall states. In a recent press call, she revealed that approximately 64 percent of canvassed union members support Harris, compared to 19 percent for Trump.
The United Auto Workers is also engaged in a door-knocking campaign to reach nearly 300,000 workers and retirees, reporting support figures of 62 percent for Harris and 33 percent for Trump based on a recent press release.
However, the lack of strong backing from organized labor for both presidential candidates has caused some unions to remain on the sidelines this election, opting against endorsements. Besides the Teamsters, the International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Longshoremen's Association also withheld endorsements. In a video interview leading up to the longshoremen's strike this October, which concluded after about two days with a tentative agreement, president Harold Daggett criticized Biden's commitment to unions.
“Where’s the president of the United States? He’s not fighting for us. He told in LA, he told the union, hurry up and get a contract. That’s the mentality they have,” Daggett stated.
Despite Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, having longstanding ties to labor, he has faced challenges in garnering key union support, particularly from male-dominated industrial unions. Harris campaign officials have even contended that Walz was not closely involved in the negotiations around important union endorsements after they fell apart, which drew some backlash due to his public criticisms of certain union leaders as overtly political operators.
However, some union members supporting Harris have privately acknowledged the validity of their colleagues’ concerns regarding her track record, particularly regarding immigration and rising costs of living.
One senior union official described an internal debate about whether to endorse Harris, noting that fellow members cited her perceived shortcomings on immigration and inflation as reasons for their hesitance.
“Some of these things may have happened on her watch. Maybe some things in hindsight might have [been] done different. But also, a lot of really good things have happened under the Biden-Harris administration,” the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive discussions. “You can't hang that shit around her neck without giving her the accolades for where this country has turned around,” they added.
A Harris official contended that the vice president's record is not comparable to Trump’s, mentioning the former president’s appointment of “union busters” to the National Labor Relations Board.
“Biden and Harris saved billions in Teamsters union pensions, and Trump threatened to withhold emergency funds for union firefighters risking their lives in wildfires,” the official noted.
Yet, some rank-and-file Harris supporters share concerns about the Biden-Harris administration’s performance.
“When [Biden] first got in, he disappointed me with the pipeline,” said Mark Provenza, a retired letter carrier, referencing the Keystone XL Pipeline. “You’re supposed to be the pro-union guy.” Meanwhile, Provenza expressed disappointment that Biden did not support railway workers who sought to strike in 2022 but faced restrictions under the Railway Labor Act. He anticipates that Harris will approach labor similarly to Biden.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Union members canvassing in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia aimed to persuade voters that Harris will protect member benefits and strengthen unions. However, some undecided voters from union households remained unconvinced. A few indicated they might not vote at all.
“We know that unions are basically on the line,” Shuler noted in an interview at the Allegheny-Fayette County Central Labor Council office ahead of a canvassing event. “[It’s] whether there's a future with unions where workers can collectively bargain and fight for better wages or, as we know, in Project 2025 the elimination of public sector unions and things like overtime and safety and health protections.”
The Trump campaign distanced itself from Project 2025, asserting that no policy is official unless it originates from Trump.
“American laborers and unions support President Trump because they have paid the price for Kamala's failed economic policies over the past four years,” stated Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary.
Dino Guastella, a Teamster from Philadelphia whose local has endorsed Harris, believes Harris should highlight the successes of the Biden Administration to resonate with union members and working-class voters.
“I think it’s a mistake. She should be taking credit for the infrastructure bill, the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act,” Guastella said while campaigning for Harris outside the UPS Warehouse. “Those all brought good blue-collar jobs.” He cited Biden’s efforts in fixing I-95 after it collapsed as an achievement worth mentioning.
However, he acknowledged the challenge of influencing undecided voters with just weeks left until Election Day, even with a focus on policy.
Lawrence Ukenye contributed to this report.
Ramin Sohrabi for TROIB News
