WASHINGTON, March 14 — Eager to nail down some union support, President Bush has worked unusually hard to court James P. Hoffa, the Teamsters' president. Mr. Bush attended a Teamsters picnic in Detroit on Labor Day, held a cocktail reception for Mr. Hoffa at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia and invited him to sit in the first lady's box during a State of the Union address. þþBut this intense courtship has failed to win over Mr. Hoffa, whose powerful union has 1.4 million members and is especially strong in important swing states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Indeed, in recent weeks Mr. Hoffa has sounded more and more disaffected with the Bush administration, with his criticisms culminating in an outburst against Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao and the administration at an A.F.L.-C.I.O. meeting last month in Florida.þþIn Mr. Hoffa's view, President Bush has shown far too little concern for the American worker. ÿHe has to work on taking care of the average American,ÿ Mr. Hoffa said. ÿThe great mass of people in this country are struggling right now. We've lost two million jobs since 9/11. We had 308,000 more people out of work in February. We have to urge this administration to understand the plight of the average American, who is having a real hard time right now.ÿþþIn an interview in his spacious office, which has a spectacular view of the Capitol, Mr. Hoffa ticked off a long list of administration actions that he said were either antiworker or antiunion: moving to open the border to Mexican trucks; supporting the repeal of a law that sought to prevent ergonomic injuries; negotiating trade agreements that have few protections for workers; proposing far tougher financial disclosure rules for unions; sponsoring tax cuts that favor the rich.þþÿThe tax plan has to be geared more to working people,ÿ Mr. Hoffa said, criticizing the president's proposal to eliminate taxes on corporate dividends. ÿWe have to stimulate the economy, and the way to do that is to put money in the pockets of the average American, who spends 100 percent of their income. You don't do that through tax cuts for the wealthy.ÿþþDespite Mr. Hoffa's criticisms of the president, Republican strategists hold out hope that the International Brotherhood of Teamsters might endorse Mr. Bush in the 2004 presidential election. Mr. Hoffa backed Al Gore in 2000, but made clear after Mr. Bush's victory that he wanted to work with the president and Congressional Republicans.þþAt the moment, Mr. Hoffa seems to be playing hard to get, insisting that his union will look at all the candidates. He floats the possibility of endorsing Mr. Bush, while simultaneously praising several Democratic candidates, especially Representative Richard A. Gephardt, the Missouri Democrat, who was his classmate at the University of Michigan Law School.þþÿWe are keeping all of our options open, and are urging this administration to be more sensitive to the needs of working families,ÿ Mr. Hoffa said. ÿIf they're not, we would maintain our options to back other candidates.ÿþþWhen Mr. Hoffa spoke at the A.F.L.-C.I.O. meeting in Hollywood, Fla., on Feb. 26, after Secretary Chao angered many labor leaders by talking at length about union corruption and expressing her opposition to a higher minimum wage, he was somewhat more emphatic in saying the Teamsters might not endorse Mr. Bush next year. At that meeting he said the administration did not understand labor issues, was veering to the right and was pushing many anti-union proposals. þþBut on the eve of a possible war against Iraq, Mr. Hoffa appeared to take pains not to attack the president, instead choosing careful, diplomatic language to criticize him. þþHe did not hide his warm feelings toward Mr. Gephardt. ÿHe speaks out on the issues that confront the average American,ÿ he said. ÿHe's one of the few candidates who speaks that way. He talks about the issue of trade, which has taken millions of jobs out of this country. Obviously we're going to be looking at him.ÿ þþWhile many labor leaders like Mr. Gephardt, some voice doubt about backing him because they question his electability.þþIn an effort to show his bipartisan approach, Mr. Hoffa was quick to show a visitor a framed photo of him with President Bill Clinton and then, on an adjoining wall, a photo of him with President Bush — next to a huge portrait of his famous father, James R. Hoffa, who was president of the Teamsters four decades ago.þþWhite House officials say they have appreciated working with Mr. Hoffa on several issues, including energy drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and enacting terrorism insurance legislation to help spur building construction.þþÿThere will be times when we agree and times we disagree, but the president will continue to work to find common ground where we can get things done,ÿ said Scott McClellan, a White House spokesman. ÿSome of the issues where we've worked together, like the president's comprehensive energy plan, mean more jobs will be created.ÿþþMr. Hoffa strongly backed Mr. Bush on Iraq, parting from the many labor leaders who have criticized the president for alienating allies, failing to build a consensus and repeatedly threatening unilateral action and pre-emptive strikes. þþÿIt's a good time for all Americans, now that we're on the brink of going to war, to be behind the president and be behind troops who are in harm's way,ÿ he said. ÿIt would obviously be nice to have a resolution from the U.N., but I don't think that should tie our hands now that we have 300,000 troops on the border of Iraq. We have now moved beyond that.ÿþþWith Mr. Hoffa sounding increasingly critical of the Bush administration, some Republicans say they fear the Teamsters will abandon the Republicans altogether in the 2004 elections. But Mr. Hoffa insists this will not be the case.þþThe Teamsters, he said, have worked well with some moderate Republicans and have supported several dozen Republicans. He had kind words for Representatives Jack Quinn and Peter T. King of New York, Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, and Frank A. LoBiondo and Mike Ferguson of New Jersey. He said the Teamsters would probably continue their pattern of contributions in the 2002 elections — 84 percent for Democrats, 16 percent for Republicans.þþBut Mr. Hoffa denounced Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, as extremely antiunion, and said he would like the Democrats to regain control of at least one house of Congress.þþÿI'd like to see a more humane Congress,ÿ he said. ÿTo some extent it's better when Democrats have control. That way they control the committees and the debate, and they can move a lot of issues that can help working people.ÿþþ
Source: NY Times
