Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has won the endorsement of a Teamsters local that represents union members in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Union workers from Kentucky and Southern Indiana announced Thursday they were endorsing Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
The announcement from the Teamsters Local 89 Executive Board comes a day after the International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a candidate for president. The Teamsters Local 89 executive board said their unanimous decision to endorse Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was “based solely on their support for union related issues.”
“In these trying and charged political times, it is crucial that all union members look beyond the issues that divide us and instead look to the issues that matter to every working person in America like ensuring your family has food on the table and a roof over their heads,” the union leaders said. “To do that, we must support candidates who we know will support Labor over Corporations and working people over CEOs.”
Teamsters Local 89 members participated in a straw poll over the summer and “Local 89 members voted overwhelmingly” against former Republican President Donald Trump in the poll, the executive board said.
“As leaders of Local 89, it is paramount that we are open and honest with our membership, even when what needs to be said may not be well received by some,” the union’s announcement said. “We respect that some of our members choose to personally support former President Trump, but it is our duty to inform all Local 89 Teamsters that when it comes to what candidates will support Organized Labor and the values we stand for, Harris-Walz is the clear choice by far.”
Some saw the decision by the national union to not endorse Harris or Trump as a loss for the Democratic nominee. The union, which is the largest in the country, has endorsed Democratic presidential candidates since 2000, including President Joe Biden. According to an electronic poll released by the union on Wednesday, members preferred Trump over Harris 59.6% to 34%.
Teamsters Local 89 represents about 20,000 workers in industries such as trucking, shipping and logistics, warehousing, gaming, grocery and more. The Thursday endorsement is one of several local union endorsements Harris has received since the national union announcement. Teamsters in battleground states like Nevada, Michigan and Wisconsin have pledged their support to her campaign.