Teamsters Dance Around Presidential Candidates

June 26, 2000 9:50 AM, EDT

Teamsters President James P. Hoffa stopped short of endorsing Ralph Nader for President on June 23, but said the consumer advocate and Green Party candidate understands “the issues important to working American families.”

Hoffa said Nader and Reform party candidate Pat Buchanan “must be included in the electoral process,” and that means both men should be part of the presidential debates this fall.

The boss of a 1.3 million member union urged that the Presidential Debate Commission hold one debate specifically to “addressing workers’ issues and the issue of globalization.”

The Teamsters have declined to endorse anyone for president, and are sore at Democrats and the administration for advocating trade relations with China, since they fear American jobs will be lost and industries will relocate. The House passed the trade bill. The Senate has yet to act.