Today the 1.4 million member Teamsters union, representing employees in transportation and freight-related industries, endorsed presidential candidate Barack Obama.
I'm not sure how I feel about this new development. I guess it's a union's responsibility to endorse a presidential candidate who they feel will most benefit the people they represent. But can a union truly say that the 1.4 million people they represent would vote for Barack Obama? I'm not even sure a majority of the Teamster members would vote for Obama... perhaps they would, but the Teamster leaders certainly didn't put a vote to it to see if the union should endorse Obama.
I'm also, perhaps, a bit wary of unions in general. In England in the 1970s, union activity completely crippled much of the industry and the economy suffered hugely as a result. I didn't live through this period but my father did, and I've heard quite a bit about the dangers of unions. I believe that unions are an integral part of a democratic society, but I'm also wary of politicians being too beholden to them. Barack Obama is my favorite candidate, but I don't like the idea of him owing something to the Teamsters.
Ah well. I suppose we'll see how this election goes, but I hope Obama has the integrity to stick to his own beliefs, regardless of the consequences for his funding.
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