At United Steelworkers Conference, Members and Leaders Downplay Election Divide

By Erwin Seba and Nicole Jao

PITTSBURGH – In a recent gathering of United Steelworkers (USW) union officials, discussions about presidential politics were notably absent, marking a shift from past election-year meetings. This change highlights the growing rift between union members and their leaders regarding support for candidates.

In July, USW leadership, which represents 1.2 million workers across the steel, paper, energy, and government sectors in the U.S. and Canada, endorsed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden withdrew from the race against Republican Donald Trump. However, at a national oil bargaining conference attended by about 300 local officials, there was no mention of Harris, nor were attendees encouraged to advocate for her campaign. Nevertheless, the conference featured discussions on legislative goals the union is pushing with Congress and the Biden administration.

The lack of political discourse at the conference underscores existing tensions within the union ahead of the upcoming election, which is closely contested. Polls indicate that the outcome may hinge on the voting patterns of union workers in swing states. Traditionally, union workers have formed a significant segment of the Democratic base, but recent elections have demonstrated a shift, with Trump gaining support among working-class white voters.

Many oil workers hail from states like Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and California, which are not seen as key battlegrounds for the election.

Other prominent unions, such as the United Auto Workers, have expressed support for Harris. However, the Teamsters union recently dealt a setback to her campaign by opting not to endorse either presidential candidate. The Teamsters, consisting of 1.3 million transportation workers, last refrained from endorsing a Democrat in 1996. Surveys of their members indicated a preference for Trump over Harris.

The Trump campaign used these survey results to claim a de facto endorsement from Teamsters rank and file.

The Harris campaign has refrained from commenting on the situation, although it has previously stated that Harris intends to advocate for union workers and would collaborate with Congress to strengthen labor laws and combat union suppression.

This year’s oil bargaining conference was different from previous ones, where many attendees visibly supported Trump. Participants in Pittsburgh remained largely tight-lipped about the election topic, only engaging when prompted by reporters.

According to an unnamed Texas union leader, "80% to 90% of USW oil workers will vote for Trump," but he also acknowledged that "the majority of the entire USW will vote for Harris."

The exclusion of politics from discussions was reportedly a strategy to avoid a visible divide between national and local leaders within the USW’s oil bargaining segment. USW President David McCall emphasized the importance of concentrating on labor issues without introducing distractions from the election.

McCall stated, "I wanted to concentrate on the oil industry, generally about community and solidarity, that’s the role I’m playing."

The union’s leadership’s endorsement of Harris was based on her campaign’s positive responses to union-specific questionnaires sent to both candidates.

Mike Smith, chairperson of the USW’s National Oil Bargaining Program, noted, "We just don’t have any other information to compare if we don’t get a response from the other."

Discussions with local oil officials at the conference suggested a preference for Trump, with many asserting that Democratic priorities were misaligned with their own.

One union member from Texas expressed, "They believe the Democratic Party has left them behind, from the promotion of electric vehicles to the adoption of stricter fuel standards that increase costs."

A Louisiana attendee stated his support for Trump was rooted in his belief that the Republican would safeguard his economic interests, clarifying, "It’s not pro-Trump. It’s in my best interest. I want to keep my money."

Another participant noted the lack of political paraphernalia at the conference was deliberate. "Many people here are voting for Trump, but they just don’t want to talk about it," they remarked.