Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien has publicly urged lawmakers to end the ongoing government shutdown, highlighting its negative effects on workers and their families. O’Brien made his statement outside the West Wing of the White House, standing alongside Republican Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
O’Brien addressed the consequences of the shutdown for those in the U.S. aviation industry and for working families across the country. He called on Congress, including Senate Democrats, to approve a clean continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the government.
“We took a position three weeks ago,” O’Brien said Thursday. “Pass a clean CR, get to the table, negotiate a deal. Do not put working people in the middle of a problem. They should not be in there,” he added.
He further emphasized: “And we have got to think about the families that are going to be affected. Think about when you have to tell your son or daughter they can’t play sports because you’re not getting paid. Think about when you can’t pay your mortgage. Think about when you can’t pay your tuition.”
“Put the politics aside, get to the table, negotiate a deal, pass a clean CR right now, and then figure out the problems moving forward,” he said. “Let’s not compromise the safety or the livelihoods of working people. Pass a clean CR.”
The Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million members nationwide. Their call follows similar demands from other government worker unions representing hundreds of thousands of employees.
The event was attended by union leaders and airline executives but did not receive live coverage from some major cable news networks.
