Who are the Teamsters and will their endorsement decision matter in swing state Pa.?

Afters years of officially endorsing presidential candidates, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union's leadership decided to not endorse either presidential candidate Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.

But is an endorsement from the Teamsters necessary? Here's who the Teamsters are, and why its endorsement could still matter in the presidential election.

Who are the Teamsters?

The Teamsters union, which also has affiliates in Canada and Puerto Rico, was created in 1903 by the merger of driver associations and now have more than a million members.

There are nearly 100,000 Teamsters in Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the 2024 race. While a Teamsters endorsement doesn’t guarantee a win for any candidate, a lack of an endorsement may solidify Pennsylvania’s role as a battleground state. Votes that may have automatically gone to an endorsed candidate could now be in play for both parties and some voters may stay home on Election Day if they feel neither candidate has earned their vote.

"Our 1.3 million members are public defenders in Minnesota; vegetable workers in California; sanitation workers in New York; brewers in St. Louis; newspaper workers in Seattle; construction workers in Las Vegas; zoo keepers in Pennsylvania; health care workers in Rhode Island; bakery workers in Maine; airline pilots, secretaries and police officers," read the Teamsters website. "For more than a century, the Teamsters have been a public voice for the rights and aspirations of working men and women and a key player in securing them."

Did Teamsters endorse Trump?

Teamsters union leadership said they simply couldn't reach a consensus on either presidential candidate, and noted that neither have spoken directly to the needs of union membership.

"After reviewing six months of nationwide member polling and wrapping up nearly a year of rank-and-file roundtable interviews with all major candidates for the presidency," read a portion of the Teamsters' non-endorsement decision, "the union was left with few commitments on top Teamsters issues from either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris — and found no definitive support among members for either party’s nominee.

"The union’s extensive member polling showed no majority support for Vice President Harris and no universal support among the membership for President Trump."

Did Teamsters back Kamala Harris?

While not endorsing either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, the Teamsters union has been active during this presidential campaign season.

Teamsters president Sean O'Brien spoke at the Republican National Convention in July but did not speak at the Democratic National Convention in August.

While O'Brien has repeatedly said the Teamsters ins't beholden to any political Party, published reports indicate that several regional Teamsters affiliations have endorsed Harris.

News of the Teamster's decision drew mixed reactions, as some speculate that the non-endorsement could be seen as a win for Trump, while others note that Harris' ability to pull in local and regional Teamsters affiliates will help overcome the lack of a national Teamsters endorsement.

Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Who are the Teamsters, and how important is their endorsement?