“Don’t tell me I’m out of line,” Mullin said. Mullin asked O’Brien about his salary and accused him of forcing members to pay union dues. The website of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters describes O’Brien, 51, as a fourth-generation teamster who started out in “the rigging industry as a heavy-equipment driver in the Greater Boston area”. Mullin is a state wrestling hall of fame member whose website says he is “a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter with a professional record of 5-0”.Īddressing O’Brien, he said: “But when you’re my employees? For what? Because we were paying higher wages? Because we had better benefits and we wasn’t requiring them to pay your guys’ exorbitant salaries?” He also said he had not tried to be “a cowboy or anything like that”.

In late 2021, Mullin memorably said “I’m not Rambo”, in reference to a character played by Sylvester Stallone in a violent film series, amid controversy over an attempt to enter Afghanistan with a private security team.

“In fact, sometimes I look forward to it.

“I’m not afraid of a physical confrontation,” Mullin continued. They work hard, and they do a good job.”īut he said he did not like “intimidation” by union leaders trying to unionise businesses including his own.

The 45-year-old, who owns a plumbing business, said he was “not against unions …some of my very good friends work for unions. The chair, the Vermont independent Bernie Sanders, was seeking support for his Protecting the Right to Organise Act. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma exchanged verbal fire with Sean O’Brien, president of the Teamsters, during a hearing staged on Wednesday by the Senate health, education, labor and pensions committee.

O and o shut up