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Sean O’Brien, Teamsters union chief, becomes first teamster to address RNC
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, gave Monday’s keynote speech at the Republican National Convention, delivering one of the most anti-big business speeches in recent RNC memory and becoming the first boss in the organization’s 121-year history to address the convention.
The Teamsters, which hasn’t endorsed a candidate so far in 2024, has endorsed Democrats in recent years. But as the Republican Party’s rhetoric has grown more populist, O’Brien was invited to speak at the RNC as Republicans vie for union votes. O’Brien said he doesn’t believe in “knee-jerk” union loyalties.
“Today, the Teamsters are here to say we are not beholden to anyone or any party,” O’Brien said. “We will create an agenda and work with a bipartisan coalition, ready to accomplish something real for the American worker. And I don’t care about getting criticized.”
O’Brien tackled topics that aren’t typically fodder for Republican voters. He blasted big businesses like Walmart and Amazon. He admonished the Chamber of Commerce, calling it “unions for big business.” And he said Washington isn’t looking out for workers.
“The American people aren’t stupid, they know the system is broken,” he said. “We all know how Washington is run. Working people have no chance of winning this fight. That’s why I’m here today, because I refuse to keep doing the same things my predecessors did.”
Former President Donald Trump, making his first appearance since the attempt on his life Saturday, gave a standing ovation for O’Brien’s speech. So did Trump’s allies and family members sitting in the VIP box.
“President Trump is a candidate who is not afraid of hearing from new, loud and often critical voices, and I think we all can agree, whether people like him or they don’t like him, in light of what happened to him on Saturday, he has proven to be one tough S.O.B.,” O’Brien said.
That “S.O.B.” line sparked resounding applause and cheers from the convention hall.
Several months ago, O’Brien said he asked to speak at both the RNC and Democratic National Convention. Trump invited him to speak, he said.
“President Trump had the backbone to open the doors to this Republican Convention, and that’s unprecedented,” he said. “No other nominee in the race would have invited the Teamsters into this arena.”
At the end of the day, O’Brien said, the Teamsters aren’t interested if a candidate has a “D,” “R” or “I” next to his or her name.
O’Brien’s speech signifies a shift within the GOP that’s become more visible since Trump’s election in 2016. The party has moved from a corporate, Wall Street-focused message toward a more worker-friendly tone.
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A food company known for popular grocery store condiments has recalled a package of tortilla strips that may be contaminated with wheat, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday. The product is meant to be gluten-free.
Sugar Foods, a manufacturing and distribution corporation focused mainly on various toppings, artificial sweeteners and snacks, issued the recall for the “Santa Fe Style” version of tortilla strips sold by the brand Fresh Gourmet.
“People who have a wheat allergy or severe sensitivity to wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the product,” said Sugar Foods in an announcement posted by the FDA.
Packages of these tortilla strips with an expiration date as late as June 20, 2025, could contain undeclared wheat, meaning the allergen is not listed as an ingredient on the label. The Fresh Gourmet product is marketed as gluten-free.
Sugar Foods said a customer informed the company on Nov. 19 that packages of the tortilla strips actually contained crispy onions, another Fresh Gourmet product normally sold in a similar container. The brand’s crispy onion product does contain wheat, and that allergen is noted on the label.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
No illnesses tied to the packaging mistake have been reported, according to the announcement from Sugar Foods. However, the company is still recalling the tortilla strips as a precaution. The contamination issue may have affected products distributed between Sept. 30 and Nov. 11 in 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington.
Sugar Foods has advised anyone with questions about the recall to contact the company’s consumer care department by email or phone.
CBS News reached out to Sugar Foods for more information but did not receive an immediate reply.
This is the latest in a series of food product recalls affected because of contamination issues, although the others involved harmful bacteria. Some recent, high-profile incidents include an E. coli outbreak from organic carrots that killed at least one person in California, and a listeria outbreak that left an infant dead in California and nine people hospitalized across four different states, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The E. coli outbreak is linked to multiple different food brands while the listeria outbreak stemmed from a line of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products sold by Yu-Shang Foods.
