On July 15, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O’Brien made a speech at the Republican National Convention.

The following statement can be attributed to CDW Chair Kristen Swearingen:

“Sean O’Brien chose to use his opportunity to speak at the Republican National Convention to give a partisan and divisive speech that targeted specific companies and denigrated workers who do not wish to associate with a union. Despite his smoke and mirrors, Teamsters members, who now are equally as likely to identify as Republican as they are Democratic, may want to look into how much of their dues are spent on left-leaning causes, politicians, and entities.

“O’Brien’s partisan speech included a remarkable comparison. He criticized business coalitions, in which employers work together on various initiatives. Only moments later, he applauded efforts to eliminate Right to Work laws, which ensure workers who do not wish to be union members are not required to join and financially support a union in their workplace.

“What these arguments have in common is their disdain for freedom of association. In O’Brien’s ideal world, all workers would be forced into unions, whether they want to be represented or not, while businesses would be prohibited from joining together to limit the reach of their voice. The hypocrisy is remarkable.

“Unfortunately for O’Brien, and fortunately for the American people, freedom of association is a bedrock of this nation. It is a critical element of our democracy, and it will be defended.”