How Does It Help Unions To Alienate GOP, White, And Older Workers?

Union leaders supported Democratic Presidential hopeful Kamala Harris this week, though 40% of union members identify with or lean Republican. Their message was also muddled by ageism and a feud.

Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, is engaged in an epic feud with GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump.

A line of labor leaders spoke from the podium of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) Tuesday to offer unconditional support for Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris.

Shawn Fain, president of the United Automobile Workers, who is engaged in an epic feud with Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, even wore a bright red T-Shirt with a graphic stating that Trump is a “scab.”

Meanwhile, April Verrett, the first black president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), made ageist and arguably racist comments from the DNC podium. “We are going to build a younger, darker hipper fresher sneaker wearing labor movement,” said Verrett.

How does any of this advance the union agenda?

First, a Pew Poll found that about 40 percent of union members are or lean Republican. Voters who do not belong to a union are “about equally likely to associate with each of the two parties: 49% are Republicans or Republican leaners, while 48% are Democrats or Democratic leaners.”

With respect to Verrett, the SEIU represents about two million workers in the healthcare, public sector and property services. Many are not dark. They are white, older and/or non-sneaker wearing. And many prospective SEIU members don’t fit her “hipper, fresher” description of desired members.

Finally, Fain, who wore the “scab” t-shirt, forgot to mention that he is engaged in an epic battle with Trump that is centered upon the UAW’s support for the Biden administration’s policies to replace gas powered cars with electric cars.