Page 4 - aruba-today-20240919

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 19 sepTember 2024
Teamsters union declines to endorse Trump or Harris for president

By JOSH BOAK and TOM KR- invited O’Brien to speak at
ISHER the Republican National
Associated Press Convention, where the
WASHINGTON (AP) — The union leader railed against
International Brotherhood corporate greed. The Team-
of Teamsters declined sters’ choice to not endorse
Wednesday to endorse Ka- came just weeks ahead of
mala Harris or Donald Trump the Nov. 5 election, far lat-
for president, saying neither er than endorsements by
candidate had sufficient other large unions such as
support from the 1.3 million- the AFL-CIO, the American
member union. Federation of Teachers and
“Unfortunately, neither ma- the United Auto Workers that
jor candidate was able to have chosen to devote re-
make serious commitments sources to getting out the
to our union to ensure the vote for Harris.
interests of working people With O’Brien facing a back-
are always put before Big lash from some Teamsters’
Business,” Teamsters Presi- members after speaking
dent Sean M. O’Brien said at the Republican National
in a statement. “We sought Convention, it’s no surprise
commitments from both that the union decided not
Trump and Harris not to in- Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, speaks during the to make an endorsement,
Republican National Convention, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.
terfere in critical union cam- Associated Press said Art Wheaton, director
paigns or core Teamsters of labor studies at Cornell
industries and to honor our anyone, the Teamsters are that President Joe Biden and its members showed Trump University.
members’ right to strike but essentially ceding some of Harris championed. “While with an advantage over Trump’s praise of Tesla CEO
were unable to secure those their influence in Novem- Donald Trump says striking Harris, a fact that the Re- Elon Musk for firing workers
pledges.” ber’s election as both can- workers should be fired, Vice publican’s campaign im- who supposedly went on
The Teamsters’ rebuff re- didates claimed to have President Harris has literally mediately seized upon by strike really made a Trump
flected a labor union torn support from its members. walked the picket line and sending out an email that endorsement very unlikely,
over issues of political iden- Harris campaign spokes- stood strong with organized said the “rank-and-file of the Wheaton said. “The mem-
tity and policy, one that person Lauren Hitt noted in labor for her entire career,” Teamsters Union supports bers were not in total agree-
mirrors a broader national an emailed statement that Hitt said. “The Vice Presi- Donald Trump for President.” ment,” he said.
divide. Vice President Harris more than three dozen re- dent’s strong union record is Harris met Monday with a Marick Masters, a business
has unmistakably backed tired Teamsters spoke last why Teamsters locals across panel of Teamsters, having professor emeritus at Wayne
organized labor, while for- month in Chicago at the the country have already long courted organized la- State University in Detroit
mer President Trump has ap- Democratic National Con- endorsed her alongside bor and made support for who follows labor issues,
pealed to many white blue- vention, having endorsed the overwhelming majority the middle class her cen- said the Teamsters lack of an
collar workers even as he Harris. Their pensions were of organized labor.” tral policy goal. Trump also endorsement suggests a re-
has openly scorned unions saved through the 2021 pas- The Teamsters said Wednes- met with a panel of Team- alignment within the union’s
at times. By not endorsing sage of the Butch Lewis Act day that internal polling of sters in January and even membership. q

The Smoky Mountains’ highest peak is reverting to the Cherokee

name Kuwohi

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — Park is officially reverting to veyor named it for a Con- tions to Kuwohi and the sur- tory. Great Smoky Moun-
The highest peak at Great its Cherokee name more federate general. rounding area, long before tains National Park, on the
Smoky Mountains National than 150 years after a sur- The U.S. Board of Geo- the land became a nation- Tennessee-North Carolina
graphic Names voted on al park. The National Park border, is America’s most
Wednesday in favor of a Service looks forward to visited national park, and
request from the Eastern continuing to work with the Kuwohi is one its most pop-
Band of Cherokee Indians Cherokee People to share ular sites, with more than
to officially change the their story and preserve this 650,000 visitors per year. The
name Clingmans Dome landscape together.” peak became known as
to Kuwohi, according to a Kuwohi is a sacred place for Clingmans Dome following
news release from the park. the Cherokee people and an 1859 survey by geog-
The Cherokee name for is the highest point within rapher Arnold Guyot, who
the mountain translates to the traditional Cherokee named it for Thomas Lanier
“mulberry place.” homeland, according to Clingman, a Confederate
“The Great Smoky National the park. The peak is visible Brigadier General as well as
Park team was proud to from the Qualla Boundary, a lawyer, U.S. Representa-
support this effort to official- home of the Eastern Band tive and Senator from North
ly restore the mountain and of Cherokee Indians. Great Carolina, according to the
to recognize its importance Smoky Mountains National park.
to the Cherokee People,” Park closes Kuwohi every The name-restoration pro-
Superintendent Cassius year for three half-days so posal was submitted in
Members of the media walk down from Clingman’s Dome tower Cash said in the release. that predominantly Chero- January by Eastern Band of
while waiting for a total solar eclipse to begin in Great Smoky “The Cherokee People kee schools can visit the Cherokee Indians Principal
Mountains National Park at Clingman’s Dome, Aug. 21, 2017. have had strong connec- mountain and learn its his-
Associated Press Chief Michell Hicks.q