Lawmakers, advocates spar over union political support

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(The Center Square) – Lawmakers and advocates sparred Tuesday over regulating public employee unions because of their political activity and union dues supporting mostly Democratic candidates and progressive policies. 

Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation, estimated that there are roughly seven million members paying dues to four government worker unions. Withe told The Center Square that he is on a mission to persuade workers of the harms involved with union membership.

He estimated the average public employee in America is spending $1,100 per year in union dues.

“Most of that money isn’t going toward things that best represent them or their values,” Withe told The Center Square. “That $1,100 is far better off in their pocket than in the pocket of the radical political union's agenda.”

Lawmakers on the U.S. House Workforce and Education Committee on Tuesday sharply criticized the political agendas of workers unions, arguing it is not aligned with those they represent. Rep. Rick Allen, R-Ga., said most unions tend to align with Democratic and progressive causes while employees tend to vote for Republicans.

“While workers have a constitutional right to hold these views, many do not,” Allen said. “The question is whether union leaders are using those members' money to advance political positions their members do not support.”

Allen said millions of dollars in dues often support trips, luxury accommodations and high leadership salaries. Political contribution records revealed that union PACS spend more than 90% of political expenditures on Democratic politicians and causes, Allen noted.

“Many American workers are not getting the union representation they want or deserve,” Allen said. “We must hold these union leaders accountable for forgetting who they represent, not their own interest but the interests of millions of American workers.”

Withe said the Freedom Foundation has engaged in door-to-door campaigns educating union workers about the causes their membership may support. He said most workers are unaware of what their membership dues go toward.

“Even if they do know, oftentimes the unions make it so complicated about how to leave the union, they certainly wouldn't know how to navigate that,” Withe said. “We've helped hundreds of thousands of workers to opt out of their unions and stop paying union dues.”

Withe pointed to confusing rules regarding when union members can opt-out of the programs. Some unions only allow members to opt-out during a two week period based on when that member joined.

He also recounted how some unions forged signatures of members, unbeknownst to the forgery's subject. Often, Withe said, members do not realize that signing union membership cards is optional because some states force individuals into a room until they make concessions.

“We've had 15 lawsuits that we filed at the Freedom Foundation against unions because we've caught unions signing these documents on behalf of these people, and when they try to leave their union, they use those forms as contracts to block their ability to leave,” Withe said.

Democratic lawmakers criticized opposition to the political involvement of labor unions. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, D-Calif., slammed the Trump administration for what he said was the president ignoring corporate influence in elections in favor of union involvement.

“While elected officials may not agree with every action or statement that unions may make, they work on behalf of their membership,” DeSaulnier said.

The California Democrat pointed to overall public approval for unions: 71%, according to annual polling from Gallup. Withe estimated that 40% of individuals leave unions after the Freedom Foundation meets with them.

“These people are being taken advantage of more than anybody else because a union inherently can’t do anything for them,” Withe said.

New York and Oregon have banned the Freedom Foundation from disparaging union membership, arguing that the organization mischaracterizes union intentions.

“State legislators who are completely under the thumb of these government unions have passed these laws in order to weaponize the state against the Freedom Foundation so that we will stop telling people to leave their unions,” Waith said.

“The problem that you have with government unions in America is they're monopolistic in nature,” he continued. “So you have these big national unions in America today that are taking billions of dollars from public employees' checks and they don't have to represent these people. They don't have to give them fair representation.”