By michael vivar
A labor union is a group of workers within a company or across an industry who organize for collective bargaining power when negotiating with businesses or governments.
Unions have been a driving force for labor and social change in the United States since their rise to prominence during the late 1800s Industrial Age.
Clashes between unions and corporations, often bloody, resulted in concessions such as the 40-hour work week and a set minimum wage.
Through the 1900s, union membership diversified, infusing a progressive streak. This led to abolishing child labor and constant efforts toward workplace equality.
Several labor sectors have unionized. Among them are the United Auto Workers, the Service Employees International Union and the National Education Association.
One union that wields a significant amount of political clout, especially on the national stage, is the Teamsters. They have a nationwide membership of 1.3 million.
The Teamsters can be described as a union of a broad spectrum of unions including vegetable picking, sanitation, construction, journalism, brewing and zoo keeping.
The Teamsters have traditionally been staunch backers of the Democratic Party, especially for the presidency. The one notable exception is when they endorsed Ronald Reagan in 1980.
A recent poll of the organization found that the membership has become more socially conservative. Crucially, a majority oppose LGBTQ+ rights and women's access to healthcare.
To quell division, the organization's president, Sean O'Brien, announced that the Teamsters would not make a 2024 presidential endorsement.
There is a split. The Western Pennsylvania chapter of the Teamsters gave their full-throated endorsement of Kamala Harris. This could turn the vital swing state, and the 2024 election, to her.
For an organization built on solidarity, this breaking of ranks has rocked the Teamsters to its core. Only time will tell what this means for their dominant hold on American politics.