An old-school Boston brawl took heart stage throughout a U.S. Senate listening to on Wednesday, as Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien engaged in a heated battle with Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin about unions, their salaries and union members’ dues.
O’Brien — a fourth technology Teamster who joined Teamsters Local 25 in Charlestown when he was 18 — blasted the Oklahoma senator and claimed that he labored extra hours than the GOP politician. Mullin advised O’Brien to “shut your mouth” at one level.
During the extreme change, O’Brien mentioned Mullin had “hid money” when he owned an organization. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ended up banging his gavel a couple of occasions throughout the back-and-forth between O’Brien and Mullin.
O’Brien was testifying at a listening to held by the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The committee listening to — “Defending the Right of Workers to Organize Unions Free from Illegal Corporate Union-Busting” — was initiated by Sanders, in response to what they are saying has been illegal anti-union exercise at Starbucks, Amazon, and different firms.
The Oklahoma senator went after O’Brien throughout his time on the mic. Mullin began by saying he’s not towards unions, however he definitely sounded salty whereas speaking about his previous expertise with a pipefitters union.
Mullin mentioned his plumbing firm had grown from six staff to greater than 300. His firm was profitable jobs that had been beforehand union jobs, he mentioned.
“The union pipefitters decided they were going to come after us,” the senator mentioned, claiming they might present up at his home and lean towards his vehicles. “I’m not afraid of a physical confrontation. In fact, sometimes I look forward to it.”
Mullin mentioned his staff’ salaries had been greater and so they had higher advantages than the union staff, and added that they weren’t “requiring them to pay your guys’ exorbitant salaries.”
“What do you make, Mr. O’Brien?” Mullin requested.
O’Brien mentioned, “I’m glad you asked that question…” earlier than the senator minimize him off.
“I know what you make because in 2019, your salary was $193,000,” Mullin mentioned.
The senator then claimed that the common UPS driver makes $35,000 a 12 months.
“That’s inaccurate. That’s inaccurate,” O’Brien mentioned. “State facts, state facts. That’s inaccurate.”
Mullin requested O’Brien what job has he created, “other than sucking the paycheck out of somebody else… you’re forcing them to pay dues.”
That lit a hearth in O’Brien, who responded, “We don’t force anybody. You’re out of line, man.”
Mullin: “Don’t tell me I’m out of line… Sir, you need to shut your mouth because you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
O’Brien: “You’re gonna tell me to shut my mouth? ‘I’m a tough guy, I’m not afraid of physical…’ ”
Mullin: “Don’t sit there and tell me I’m out line.”
Sanders began banging his gavel, and advised the senator to let O’Brien reply.
O’Brien went again to answering about his wage, saying to Mullin, “I bet you I work more hours than you do, twice as many hours.”
Mullin: “That’s impossible. Sir, you don’t know what hard work is.”
Back to the united statesdriver wage, O’Brien mentioned they make $93,000 on the decrease finish, and a few make $150,000.
Mullin returned to saying that the Teamsters haven’t created a job.
“Sure we have,” O’Brien mentioned. “We create opportunity. We hold greedy CEOs like yourself accountable.”
Mullin: “You’re calling me a greedy CEO?”
O’Brien: “Oh yeah, you are. You want to attack my salary. I’ll attack yours.”
When O’Brien requested Mullin how a lot he made when he owned his firm, Mullin mentioned he stored his wage down at $50,000 “because I invested every penny into it.”
O’Brien: “You mean you hid money.”
Mullin: “No, I didn’t hide money. Oh, hold on a second. He said that was out of line (from before).”
O’Brien: “Now we’re even.”
Mullin: “We’re not even. We’re not even close to being even. You think you’re smart, you think you’re funny.”
O’Brien: “No, you think you’re funny.”
Sanders once more began banging the gavel.
Massachusetts Congresswoman Lori Trahan tweeted after the change, “Pro tip for the junior Senator from Oklahoma: Don’t f*** with a union guy from Massachusetts.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”