Hot Mess #6 Union Dues in California

Where do they really go?

Sep 04, 2023

So you thought Unions – especially in California – were your friends? Think again. Unions in California are A HOT MESS and trust me, they really don’t care about you.

Let’s get some definitions out of the way first:

#1 What is a UNION?

From AFSCME: It’s an organization formed by workers who join together. They use their strength to negotiate form a position of strength regarding the following: wages, benefits, workplace health and safety, job training and work related issues. Unions are democratic organizations, and the leaders are elected.

#2 Why do I need a UNION?

Together, workers can speak with one voice and make real change.

There are private unions for private companies, and Public unions for organizations that provide a public service. I used to belong to AFSCME.

Per a 2021 CalMatters article, Unions represent 16% of California’s 15 million workers.

#3 – UNION members pay Dues.

Typically, union dues are 1% of your paycheck. So… if you gross 4K a pay period, your union dues will be $40.00 for that pay period. Seems, reasonable, right. In California that’s a tank of gas. Dues are typically automatically deducted from your paycheck.

#4 Where do my UNION DUES Go?

You might be surprised. I tried to do an Internet search for where does my union dues go? I wasn’t happy with the answer.

One of the answers I got was 52% go toward Union Salaries and overhead. By overhead I’m “assuming” renting a business office, electricity, etc… 24.5% went toward politics and lobbying. 23% went toward contract negotiations, grievances, etc..

Here’s a good example of where Union Dues go. This is a pie chart from a union out of Connecticut.

I’m curious – what is 7% other expenses for?

Here’s one out of Pennsylvania:

4% here goes to Political Expenses. At least they don’t say “other.”

In 2017, the SEIU revealed how it spent union dues in 2016. Even labor union political spending proved to be extravagant and wasteful. Expenditures included:

$19 million for Workers Organizing Committees which organize protests, often disrupting businesses like yours;
$1.7 million to the Democratic consulting firm BerlinRosen Public Affairs;
$400,000 on staff meetings and training at Washington D.C.'s prestigious St. Regis hotel;
$285,000 to the Las Vegas' Stratosphere Hotel for political activities;
$33,000 for a single night of catering;
$10,000 at a Capitol Hill bar; and
$150,000 to the liberal Economic Policy Institute, to name a few expenses.

Approximately 64 percent of SEIU members are conservative, per SEIU President Mary Kay Henry who, by the way, earned $262,000 in 2016.

MY OBSERVATION: So, after all the basic research I DETERMINED that UNIONS give money to political action committees, (PACs), lobbyists, and political activities that you, as a UNION MEMBER my NOT support.

In California that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Today’s SacBee headline: Unions would gain power under a bill backed by Democrats. What does that mean for California?

Basically, the PRO act (a bill in the CA legislature right now) would allow PRIVATE unions to take union dues from workers who didn’t want to be in the Private union.

Let’s pick on AFSMCE. Their PAC is called PEOPLE: Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislature Equality. Who do you think they give money too? Democrats or Republicans? And let me tell you, simple “Google” Internet searches don’t reveal much. Here’s what I COULD DIG UP:

During the CA RECALL THE following UNION PACS gave big money to GAVIN NEWSOM:

Dignity CA SEIU LOCAL 2015

SEIU Cope

CA Teachers Union

CA Correction Peace officer Association

CA real estate PAC

(Most are public, I believe the real estate one is a private one. I could be wrong.)

Statistic: California had 2,617,000 union members in 2022. In addition to these members, another 239,000 wage and salary workers in California were represented by a union on their main job or covered by an employee association or contract while not union members themselves.

HERE’S MY POINT IN A NUTSHELL:

The majority of Unions have PACs. And their PAC’s give to a majority of DEMOCRAT candidates, especially in California. And in California a Democrat is a fancy word for a Communist. HAVE YOU SEEN SAN FRANCISCO LATELY?

If you belong to a UNION in California, there’s a 98% chance that your union is lobbying and promoting a democrat. They are wastefully spending your union dues. Sure, you have vision benefit. Sure, you have a 40 hour work week. Sure, you have health and safety covered. BUT….

Out of your 40 dollars – 20 dollars go to “overhead” think the SIEU example, 10 goes to PACS and lobbying and 10 goes to grievances and negotiations.

That 10 dollars adds up.

MY UNION STORY

In 2021, the City of LA pushed vaccine mandates for Covid 19. I did not want to take the shot. I don’t get flu shots. I’m pretty healthy. I have over 800 hours of 100% sick time. Some call me STUPID for having so much time. Some say I have a lot of INTEGRITY. You decide.

After paying union dues for over 20 years, I learned the Union did not support me. They wanted me to get that shot.

I was done. I wanted out. I sent them a letter in August 2021 leaving the Union with a return receipt. They still took my dues. I sent a 2^nd letter in January 2022 with a return receipt and a threat to get a lawyer. They let me out. I won’t have my UNION DUES going to PACS and LOBBYISTS who support democrats and their crazy laws.

AB5? Don’t get me started. That’s another HOT MESS topic.

If you belong to a UNION do your research. #1 Does it have a PAC? #2 Who does the PAC lobby? You might be surprised to find out that your union dues are going to support causes that aren’t near and dear to your heart.

Have a Union Dues HORROR story? Share it below.

References:

https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/unionmembership_california.htm

https://afscmeatwork.org/union-hall/what-union

https://calmatters.org/explainers/california-unions-explained/

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2020-01-23/california-labor-union-membership

https://www.teamsters665.org/dues/

https://projectionsinc.com/unionproof/where-do-my-union-dues-go/

https://americansforfairtreatment.org/resources-and-data/psea-where-do-your-union-dues-go-2021/

https://www.educatedteachersmn.com/union-members-where-do-your-dues-go/

https://americansforfairtreatment.org/resources-and-data/cea-where-do-your-union-dues-go/

https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article250065314.html/