The Golden Lodge in Canton has long served as a headquarters for the workers at Timken Steel. A TV on the wall is tuned to MSNBC. The topic: President Donald Trump.
Bob Harper, the president of United Steelworkers Local 1123, said many of his members supported Bernie Sanders, but some voted for Trump.
鈥淗e told everybody what they wanted to hear,鈥� Harper said of Trump. 鈥淵ou know, the working class in the Midwest, that鈥檚 what we are. They call us working class fools. We go to work, pay our bills, pay a lot of taxes, and it鈥檚 on our backs. And he told them what they wanted to hear. We weren鈥檛 being addressed by the Democratic Party.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 rise to the presidency has left some labor unions in Ohio torn. On one hand, many unions are sympathetic to Trump鈥檚 skepticism of trade deals.
On the other hand, many are wary that Republicans will try to thwart their power to bargain and organize.
Trade and Infrastructure Offer Common Ground
Harper hopes the president follows through on his promise to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. And while Harper voted for Hillary Clinton, he said he鈥檚 an independent looking for candidates who will do right by his union鈥檚 members.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 bother me if they鈥檙e Republican or Democrat, it鈥檚 what they鈥檙e going to do for us, our people,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ame thing with Trump. If he actually fulfills this, I鈥檓 going to have a hard time arguing about him, because he鈥檚 carrying out what he鈥檚 looking for. NAFTA, it goes away and we get something better in place鈥ould help us a lot.鈥�
Still, there is skepticism that the president can deliver on his promises.
Joe Plott with Local 1123 said a trade war with China, in which each country levies higher tariffs on imports, won鈥檛 benefit the U.S.
鈥淗ow are you going to fix what鈥檚 been wrong for 40 years?鈥� Plott said. 鈥淛ust by stomping your feet and saying, well we鈥檙e going to penalize you for this? That鈥檚 not going to happen.鈥�
Trump may have another opening with many unions: infrastructure. In January, l to talk with the administration about plans for roads and bridges.
Pressure for More Populist Candidates
Tim Burga is the president of the Ohio AFL-CIO, which endorsed Clinton. Regardless of who鈥檚 commander-in-chief, he said in an interview, his union will fight for good jobs and higher pay.
鈥淲e鈥檒l work with President Trump where there鈥檚 opportunities to do that, and we鈥檒l oppose him when those polices and positions that don鈥檛 reflect that are advanced,鈥� Burga said.
Union membership in Ohio for decades, but at 12.4 percent, it鈥檚 a higher than the .
Last November, 54 percent of union household voters cast their ballots for the Republican Trump. Democrats are trying to figure out how to win back support from working-class voters in places like Ohio.
Burga said he held a post-election listening tour with union members this year.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no question that there鈥檚 a desire for the candidates that we support to have a populist, progressive economic message, and to understand and believe in working people and the trade union movement,鈥� he said.
Trump鈥檚 Appeal Has Its Limits
Not every union is feeling the allure of Trump.
Sandra Ellington works as a custodian at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport and is a member of the Service Employees International Union Local 1.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 speak anything that mattered to me,鈥� Ellington said of the president. 鈥淢aybe it mattered to them, but it did not matter to me.鈥�
Many labor groups are wary that Republicans will support right-to-work laws that would prohibit them from requiring dues.
Labor has also been flexing its political muscle against the president鈥檚 cabinet nominees. Teachers unions opposed Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Unions also united against Andrew Puzder, who withdrew his name from consideration as labor secretary.
The SEIU has pushed for increases in the minimum wage across the country. On immigration, Ellington said people who enter the country seeking work shouldn鈥檛 be painted with a broad brush.
鈥淭hey come here, they work hard, they have families, they鈥檝e built families, they鈥檝e bought homes, they鈥檝e owned businesses, they鈥檝e done all these things,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e caused no harm. You know what I鈥檓 saying? You have to be mindful and very careful when you judge a group of people.鈥�
Ellington said members of her union want good contracts and secure healthcare. She said she doesn鈥檛 know whether the Trump administration will help or hurt those efforts, but said she鈥檚 hopeful.
鈥淚 have hope, yeah,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause I鈥檓 a fighter.鈥�
