In stark contrast to CNN the previous day, Friday’s Morning Joe on MSNBC sided with the Teamsters union as they threatened to go on strike against UPS. Omitting the fact that UPS workers already led the industry in compensation, MSNBC hosts Willie Geist, Jonathan Lemire, and Al Sharpton boasted about Teamsters president Sean O’Brien and let him lead the narrative on why they weren’t responsible for the breakdown of contract negotiations.
The closest MSNBC came to suggesting the union might be in the wrong was when Geist noted that both sides blamed each other. “Both, UPS and negotiators for the employees blamed each other for the talks breaking down, with the Teamsters saying UPS walked away from the table while UPS is saying the union stopped negotiations. They’re now 24 days before the current UPS employee contract expires,” he reported while leading into the segment.
But Geist made it clear they all were going to follow O’Brien’s lead:
For an update on where things stand, let's bring in the general president for the Teamsters, Sean O’Brien. Sean, thanks for being with us this morning. I'll let you walk us through the state, from your point of view of the negotiations, but also important to point out for our viewers, what happens if this strike goes on on July 31st? If there is no deal before then, what does that mean for consumers? What does that mean for the economy?
Omitting the fact that UPS drivers already made $93,000 (higher than the median income in most states), Lemire’s first question was for O’Brien to explain how hard things were for his members. “So Sean, let's talk a little more about the economics of it. You say that's the difference. And give us some more specifics to what that means, particularly at a time we've seen inflation really soar in recent years,” he teed up the union boss.
Without pushback or evidence of O’Brien’s claim that UPS warehouse workers were being paid “poverty wages,” Lemire boasted of all the different unions that were threatening to hold various portions of the country’s economy hostage:
But speak if you will to this national moment we're in, about workers and, frankly, about strikes or threats thereof. The writers strike, of course, out in Hollywood. We've had the train conductors were threatening. Restaurant workers, this. Why do you think this happening right now, and is it connected to the pandemic?
For Sharpton’s part? He boasted about O’Brien himself and his reputation among other union leaders. “Sean, and by the way, you get a lot of accolades from fellow labor leaders, Lee Saunders who heads AFSCME and is on the board of NAN and others,” he touted.
Contrast this with the questions from CNN’s Victor Blackwell, who grilled O’Brien on Thursday seemingly on behalf of the UPS workers in his family who would be forced to go on strike and miss their paychecks: “So people who are at home hearing that UPS might be -- the workers might be going on strike, and they're already at the top of the heap starting for this, they question why. You tell those folks who are going to be inconvenienced what?”
MSNBC’s biased support of the Teamsters was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from LeafFilter and PC Matic. Their contact information is linked.
The transcriot is below, click "expand" to read:
MSNBC’s Morning Joe
July 7, 2023
7:39:24 a.m. EasternWILLIE GEIST: The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the union that represents more than 300,000 UPS employees, has announced strike preparations are moving into, quote, “high gear” after contract negotiations collapsed on Wednesday.
Both, UPS and negotiators for the employees blamed each other for the talks breaking down, with the Teamsters saying UPS walked away from the table while UPS is saying the union stopped negotiations. They’re now 24 days before the current UPS employee contract expires.
For an update on where things stand, let's bring in the general president for the Teamsters, Sean O’Brien. Sean, thanks for being with us this morning. I'll let you walk us through the state, from your point of view of the negotiations, but also important to point out for our viewers, what happens if this strike goes on on July 31st? If there is no deal before then, what does that mean for consumers? What does that mean for the economy?
(…)
7:40:53 a.m. Eastern
JONATHAN LEMIRE: So Sean, let's talk a little more about the economics of it. You say that's the difference. And give us some more specifics to what that means, particularly at a time we've seen inflation really soar in recent years.
(…)
7:41:51 a.m. Eastern
LEMIRE: So Sean, when you sat down, you said at this point, the White House has not been involved. We should note there is no Labor secretary at the moment.
But speak if you will to this national moment we're in, about workers and, frankly, about strikes or threats thereof. The writers strike, of course, out in Hollywood. We've had the train conductors were threatening. Restaurant workers, this. Why do you think this happening right now, and is it connected to the pandemic?
(…)
7:42:56 a.m. Eastern
AL SHARPTON: Sean, and by the way, you get a lot of accolades from fellow labor leaders, Lee Saunders who heads AFSCME and is on the board of NAN and others.
Doesn't this really come down to when you look at how UPS made great profits during the pandemic, while a lot of your members were really putting a risk to life and limb, and it seems as though they at UPS are oblivious to the sacrifices? And the fact that, as you say, some of them are living almost at poverty level. When they made a bonanza of money during the pandemic, I mean, isn't it about sensitivity and corporate accountability?
(…)
7:44:19 a.m. Eastern
LEMIRE: Sean, before we let you go, just give an update as to what is next with the deadline looming. Are more talks scheduled? What do you hope to see happen?
(…)
7:44:39 a.m. Eastern
GEIST: Teamsters general president Sean O’Brien, let's helps this gets resolved for workers but also for the American people who count on the hard and excellent work they do every day. We appreciate you being here. Thanks so much.
(…)
