BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

NY union leader supporting Trump due to border, inflation

  • Trump’s been endorsed by Steamfitters in New York City
  • Biden won North America’s Building Trades Unions backing
  • Teamsters Union has yet to endorse

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241114185800

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241115200405

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118165728

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241118184948

 (NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump picked up the endorsement of a major New York City labor union this week, while President Joe Biden won the backing of one the largest union coalitions in the country.

“Illegal immigration … gas prices, grocery prices, inflation … the push for EV vehicles, solar power. I mean, you name it,” said Bobby Bartels, Steamfitters Local 638 business manager, about why many of his members are backing Trump.

“They are pretty much disgusted” with the status quo, he told NewsNation’s “On Balance” on Friday. “My members are sending me a pretty clear message … that they want change.”

Bartles says his union’s endorsement isn’t quite a renewal of the “hippies vs. hardhats” conflict of the late 1960s and ‘70s.

“When the hippies in the 70s protested, they were protesting against a war that they didn’t believe in,” he said. “These protesters are protesting against America. (They’re) looking for the death of a certain heritage.”

Steamfitters Local 638 has about 10,000 active and retired members throughout New York City and Long Island.

While Trump met with union officials in New York on Wednesday, Biden was receiving a loud, warm reception in Washington at a conference of the North America’s Building Trades Unions.

“Donald Trump is incapable of running anything,” NABTU President Sean McGarvey said in a video played at the conference. The union also announced its endorsement of Biden.

One of the biggest unions in the country, the Teamsters, abstained from the NABTU endorsement vote. Both Biden and Trump are seeking the Teamsters’ endorsement.

Nearly all the major labor unions have endorsed Biden. The board of the AFL-CIO was one of the first, doing so in June of last year. The organization represents 60 unions and has more than 12 million members.

On Balance with Leland Vittert

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20241119133138

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Sunny

la

62°F Sunny Feels like 62°
Wind
0 mph SW
Humidity
32%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
47°F A few passing clouds. Low 47F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
2 mph NNE
Precip
10%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waning Gibbous