Teamsters President Sean O’Brien on Thursday called for an immediate end to the government shutdown, warning that the standoff is hurting the U.S. aviation industry and working families across the country.
O’Brien, who leads the 1.4 million-member International Brotherhood of Teamsters, has recently cast himself as an independent force in national politics, breaking from both parties when he believes workers are being used as leverage.
“We took a position three weeks ago,” O’Brien said. “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.”
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He said the shutdown’s impact goes far beyond politics, noting that thousands of working families are already feeling the strain of missed paychecks and halted operations.
“And we have got to think about the families that are going to be affected,” O’Brien said. “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.”
The union chief’s remarks came as the shutdown entered its second month, with SNAP benefits paused and air traffic control staffing stretched thin.
O’Brien emphasized that the solution is simple: pass a short-term measure to reopen the government and then negotiate differences afterward.
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“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.”
O’Brien, a fourth-generation Teamster known for his combative leadership style, took over the union in 2022 after decades of internal reform battles.
Although he has not endorsed President Donald Trump in the 2024 race, O’Brien made history when he spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention — the first Teamsters president ever to do so.
The move underscored his growing frustration with the Democratic Party, which he has accused of losing touch with the working-class voters who once formed its base.
“For as long as I have been a Teamster, neither party has spearheaded an effort to reach bipartisan agreement on labor reform,” O’Brien told a Senate committee earlier this month.
“The Democrats have played political football with massive labor reform bills,” he said. “Republicans have largely reintroduced business-friendly bills that make it harder to form a union.”
While O’Brien has maintained communication with the White House, he has also developed strong relationships with Republican lawmakers such as JD Vance, who has made working-class advocacy central to his vice presidency.
The joint appearance outside the White House signaled a rare moment of bipartisan alignment between labor leaders and Trump administration officials on a major budget issue.
O’Brien said his message was not about party allegiance but about protecting the paychecks and stability of the American workforce.
“This is not about politics — it’s about people,” he said. “Get it done.”
