The 2021 leadership election for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters occurred after the General President James P. Hoffa announced his retirement. Ballots were mailed to eligible members of the North American union on October 4, 2021, and counting of the ballots began on November 15, 2021.[ 1] [ 2] On November 19, 2021, Sean M. O'Brien of the Teamsters United slate was declared the winner.[ 3]
2021 International Brotherhood of Teamsters presidential election
Candidate
Sean M. O'Brien
Steve Vairma
Popular vote
115,573
57,983
Percentage
66.6%
33.4%
Slate
Teamsters United
Teamster Power
The election was contested by two slates: Teamsters United and Teamster Power. The Teamsters United slate, led by O'Brien of Local 25 in Boston and Fred Zuckerman of Local 89 in Louisville , is aligned with a reform movement within the Teamsters Union. Teamster Power, by Steve Vairma of Local 455 in Denver and Ron Herrera of Local 396 in Los Angeles , was endorsed by and more closely affiliated with Hoffa.[ 1] Some of the same groups behind Teamsters United ran a slate in 2016 that narrowly lost to Hoffa.[ 4]
The 2021 Teamsters election was the first in 25 years in which Hoffa did not run. The internal rank-and-file organization Teamsters for a Democratic Union campaigned in favor of Teamsters United, on the basis of dissatisfaction around issues including contract negotiations and pension arrangements.[ 1] [ 5] The winning Teamsters United slate has been associated with a younger, more militant generation of labor leadership that has been gaining in organization and popularity in some industries in the United States.[ 6]
Candidate
Slate
Total votes
%
By region
Central
%
Eastern
%
Southern
%
Western
%
Canada
%
Sean M. O'Brien
Teamsters United
115,573
66.6
35,825
71.0
39,361
74.7
13,047
71.1
25,592
56.8
1,748
25.1
Steve Vairma
Teamster Power
57,983
33.4
14,654
29.0
13,355
25.3
5,309
28.9
19,455
43.2
5,210
74.9
Total
173,556
100.0
50,479
100.0
52,716
100.0
18,356
100.0
45,047
100.0
6,958
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
General Secretary-Treasurer
edit
Candidate
Slate
Total votes
%
By region
Central
%
Eastern
%
Southern
%
Western
%
Canada
%
Fred Zuckerman
Teamsters United
113,143
65.4
35,437
70.3
38,353
73.0
12,716
69.4
25,091
55.8
1,546
22.9
Ron Herrera
Teamster Power
59,896
34.6
15,001
29.7
14,199
27.0
5,616
30.6
19,876
44.2
5,204
77.1
Total
173,039
100.0
50,438
100.0
52,552
100.0
18,332
100.0
44,967
100.0
6,750
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents at Large
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Candidate
Slate
Total votes
%
By region
Central
%
Eastern
%
Southern
%
Western
%
Canada
%
Juan Campos
Teamsters United
112,632
9.5
35,155
10.1
38,288
10.6
12,576
10.1
25,121
8.2
1,492
3.2
Joan Corey
Teamsters United
112,440
9.5
35,175
10.1
38,073
10.5
12,627
10.1
24,991
8.1
1,574
3.4
Chris Griswold
Teamsters United
112,173
9.4
35,099
10.1
38,206
10.6
12,480
10.0
24,900
8.1
1,488
3.2
Tony Jones
Teamsters United
112,119
9.4
35,094
10.1
38,018
10.5
12,663
10.1
24,839
8.1
1,505
3.2
Greg Floyd
Teamsters United
112,074
9.4
34,971
10.1
38,157
10.6
12,634
10.1
24,809
8.1
1,503
3.2
James Wright
Teamsters United
112,064
9.4
35,102
10.1
37,988
10.5
12,562
10.0
24,896
8.1
1,516
3.3
John Palmer
Teamsters United
111,766
9.4
35,111
10.1
37,916
10.5
12,385
9.9
24,841
8.1
1,513
3.3
Debra Simmons-Peterson
Teamster Power
58,283
4.9
14,791
4.3
13,505
3.7
5,418
4.3
19,388
6.3
5,181
11.2
Bernadette McCulloch Kelly
Teamster Power
57,980
4.9
14,527
4.2
13,847
3.8
5,245
4.2
19,202
6.2
5,159
11.1
Nina Bugbee
Teamster Power
57,644
4.9
14,586
4.2
13,359
3.7
5,261
4.2
19,290
6.3
5,148
11.1
Marcus King
Teamster Power
57,429
4.8
14,405
4.1
13,520
3.7
5,261
4.2
19,137
6.2
5,106
11.0
Dennis Pierce
Teamster Power
57,423
4.8
14,450
4.2
13,528
3.7
5,400
4.3
18,969
6.2
5,076
11.0
Greg Nowak
Teamster Power
57,192
4.8
14,467
4.2
13,527
3.7
5,195
4.2
18,947
6.1
5,056
10.9
James Curbeam
Teamster Power
56,371
4.7
14,216
4.1
12,950
3.6
5,352
4.3
18,827
6.1
5,026
10.8
Total
1,187,590
100.0
347,149
100.0
360,882
100.0
125,059
100.0
308,157
100.0
46,343
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents for the Central Region
edit
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
Tom Erickson
Teamsters United
35,542
23.8
Danny Avelyn
Teamsters United
35,124
23.5
Avral Thompson
Teamsters United
35,046
23.5
Terry Hancock
Teamster Power
14,639
9.8
Jesse Case
Teamster Power
14,627
9.8
Brian Aldes
Teamster Power
14,415
9.6
Total
149,393
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents for the Eastern Region
edit
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
Bill Hamilton
Teamsters United
38,786
25.0
Rocco Calo
Teamsters United
37,998
24.5
Matt Taibi
Teamsters United
37,813
24.3
Maria Perez
Teamster Power
13,701
8.8
Paul Markwitz
Teamster Power
13,580
8.7
Thomas Gesualdi
Teamster Power
13,493
8.7
Total
155,371
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents for the Southern Region
edit
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
Brent Taylor
Teamsters United
12,915
35.5
Thor Johnson
Teamsters United
12,616
34.7
Josh Zivalich
Teamster Power
5,520
15.2
Robert Mele
Teamster Power
5,293
14.6
Total
36,344
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents for the Western Region
edit
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
Lindsay Dougherty
Teamsters United
25,317
14.3
Rick Hicks
Teamsters United
24,941
14.1
Mark Davison
Teamsters United
24,914
14.1
Peter Finn
Teamsters United
24,860
14.1
Karla Schumann
Teamster Power
19,517
11.0
Eric Tate
Teamster Power
19,251
10.9
Jason Rabinowitz
Teamster Power
19,018
10.8
John Scearcy
Teamster Power
18,908
10.7
Total
176,726
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Vice Presidents for Teamsters Canada
edit
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
James Hennessy
Team Canada
Elected by acclamation
François Laporte
Team Canada
Elected by acclamation
Craig McInnes
Team Canada
Elected by acclamation
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
Candidate
Slate
Votes
%
By region
Central
%
Eastern
%
Southern
%
Western
%
Canada
%
Willie Ford
Teamsters United
113,230
22.1
35,384
23.7
38,273
24.6
12,818
23.8
25,198
19.0
1,557
7.8
Dan Kane Jr.
Teamsters United
112,653
22.0
35,203
23.6
38,377
24.7
12,656
23.5
24,897
18.8
1,520
7.6
Vinnie Perrone
Teamsters United
112,313
22.0
35,142
23.5
38,089
24.5
12,639
23.4
24,926
18.8
1,517
7.6
Peter Nunez
Teamster Power
58,380
11.4
14,619
9.8
13,794
8.9
5,329
9.9
19,519
14.7
5,119
25.7
Chris Tongay
Teamster Power
57,374
11.2
14,475
9.7
13,500
8.7
5,251
9.7
19,048
14.4
5,100
25.6
Michael Cales
Teamster Power
57,345
11.2
14,560
9.7
13,291
8.6
5,251
9.7
19,108
14.4
5,135
25.7
Total
511,295
100.0
149,383
100.0
155,324
100.0
53,944
100.0
132,696
100.0
19,948
100.0
Source: International Brotherhood of Teamsters[ 7]
^ a b c Haney, Ryan (October 14, 2021). "Teamster Insurgents Plan for a Win – and What Comes After" . Labor Notes . Retrieved November 16, 2021 .
^ "Notice of Election" (PDF) . International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Retrieved November 16, 2021 .
^ Ryan, Tim (November 19, 2021). "Hoffa Critic to Lead Teamsters After Landslide Election Win" . Employment Authority . Law360. Retrieved November 19, 2021 .
^ Sernatinger, Andy (September 28, 2021). "Hoffa's House Divided: The 2021 Teamster Election, Explained" . In These Times . Retrieved November 16, 2021 .
^ Isidore, Chris (November 17, 2021). "Teamsters Set to Elect Successor to Hoffa's Son. Here's Why It Matters to You" . CNN.
^ Leonard, Devin; Black, Thomas (November 12, 2021). "First Task for the Teamsters' Next Boss: Take On UPS" . Bloomberg Businessweek.
^ a b c d e f g h i "Election Results" . Office of the Election Supervisor for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. November 18, 2021. Archived from the original on April 12, 2024.