Teamsters for a Democratic Union helps return far-right Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien to power unopposed
Sean O’Brien and Fred Zuckerman were reelected unopposed as Teamsters general president and secretary-treasurer, respectively, at the union’s 31st International Convention in Las Vegas, with support from Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU). Despite promises of worker militancy and reform, O’Brien’s tenure has included mass layoffs at UPS, alignment with Donald Trump, and opposition to strikes, while TDU has distanced itself from political opposition to Trump’s far-right policies.
The Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU) helped secure an unopposed reelection for Sean O’Brien and Fred Zuckerman as Teamsters general president and secretary-treasurer at the union’s 31st International Convention in Las Vegas this week. The decision was made by convention delegates after no opposition candidate secured enough delegate votes to advance to a membership ballot, leaving 1.3 million Teamsters without a direct vote on leadership. O’Brien’s 2021 campaign promised a new era of militancy and worker empowerment, but his record includes mass layoffs, blocked strikes, and collaboration with Donald Trump. TDU, which endorsed O’Brien, has since been criticized for prioritizing bureaucratic access over worker struggles, even as UPS announced 12,000 layoffs in 2024, 48,000 in 2025, and plans to cut up to 30,000 more jobs in 2026. O’Brien became the first Teamsters general president to speak at the Republican National Convention, praising Trump and aligning the union with far-right policies. He has also promoted nationalist trade-war rhetoric and cultivated ties with figures like Josh Hawley and Tucker Carlson, framing his politics as necessary for ‘national competitiveness.’ TDU leaders Antonio Rosario and Bryan Trafford have dismissed opposition to O’Brien’s far-right alignment as a distraction, arguing that political opposition could alienate half or more of Teamster members. Critics accuse TDU of opportunism, claiming it avoids mobilizing workers against Trump’s policies while collaborating with corporate and nationalist forces. The union bureaucracy under O’Brien has prioritized anti-communism, corporatism, and suppression of worker struggles, positioning itself as a labor police force. TDU’s support for O’Brien has been framed as a reformist victory, but critics argue it has delivered no meaningful gains for rank-and-file members, instead facilitating layoffs and political concessions.
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