2021 International Brotherhood of Teamsters election

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2021 International Brotherhood of Teamsters presidential election
October–November 2021
 
Candidate Sean O'Brien Steve Vairma
Popular vote 115,573 57,983
Percentage 66.6% 33.4%
Slate Teamsters United Teamster Power

President before election

James P. Hoffa

Elected President

Sean O'Brien

The 2021 leadership election for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters occurred after the General President James P. Hoffa announced his retirement. Ballots were mailed to eligible members of the North American union on October 4, 2021, and counting of the ballots began on November 15, 2021.[1][2] On November 19, 2021, Sean O'Brien of the Teamsters United slate was declared the winner.[3]

The election was contested by two slates: Teamsters United and Teamster Power. The Teamsters United slate, led by O’Brien (of Local 25 in Boston) and Fred Zuckerman of Local 89 in Louisville, is aligned with a reform movement within the Teamsters Union. Teamster Power, by Steve Vairma of Local 455 in Denver and Ron Herrera of Local 396 in Los Angeles, was endorsed by and more closely affiliated with Hoffa.[1] Some of the same groups behind Teamsters United ran a slate in 2016 that narrowly lost to Hoffa.[4]

The 2021 Teamsters election was the first in 25 years in which Hoffa did not run. The internal rank-and-file organization Teamsters for a Democratic Union campaigned in favor of Teamsters United, on the basis of dissatisfaction around issues including contract negotiations and pension arrangements.[1][5] The winning Teamsters United slate has been associated with a younger, more militant generation of labor leadership that has been gaining in organization and popularity in some industries in the United States.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Haney, Ryan (October 14, 2021). "Teamster Insurgents Plan for a Win – and What Comes After". Labor Notes. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Notice of Election" (PDF). International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  3. ^ Ryan, Tim (November 19, 2021). "Hoffa Critic to Lead Teamsters After Landslide Election Win". Employment Authority. Law360. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  4. ^ Sernatinger, Andy (September 28, 2021). "Hoffa's House Divided: The 2021 Teamster Election, Explained". In These Times. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Isidore, Chris (November 17, 2021). "Teamsters Set to Elect Successor to Hoffa's Son. Here's Why It Matters to You". CNN.
  6. ^ Leonard, Devin; Black, Thomas (November 12, 2021). "First Task for the Teamsters' Next Boss: Take On UPS". Bloomberg Businessweek.