Elizabeth Hovde of the Washington Policy Center shares why heavy union politicking in election season offers a reminder why being a member of a public union should be voluntary, not compulsory
Elizabeth Hovde
Washington Policy Center
Not political? Not so much. Unions are very active in politics. Their members’ money and time go to candidates they want to win.
While politicking for candidates you believe in makes sense, it doesn’t feel good for some public employees to watch their money being used to tell them or others that they should vote for someone whose politics don’t line up with their own. OpenSecrets says that total labor-sector campaign contributions peaked in 2016 and almost 90 percent of contributions went to Democrats, which is consistent with at least two decades of labor contribution trends.
The Washington State Labor Council has been recruiting volunteers for a full calendar of events all fall to support labor-endorsed candidates. (See the list of the WSLC’s 2022 election endorsements here.) There are “labor neighbor” walks in several communities again this weekend.
Heavy union politicking in election season offers an excellent reminder why being a member of a public union should be voluntary, not compulsory. And it is. But many public workers still don’t know that they have this ideological freedom.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that public employees are no longer required to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment. The Supreme Court staff summarized the decision this way: “The First Amendment is violated when money is taken from nonconsenting employees for a public-sector union; employees must choose to support the union before anything is taken from them. Accordingly, neither an agency fee nor any other form of payment to a public-sector union may be deducted from an employee, nor may any other attempt be made to collect such a payment, unless the employee affirmatively consents to pay.”
If you’re a public employee who tires of seeing your union dues going to politicking with which you disagree, or if you feel unrepresented by your union, learn more about how to exercise your constitutional rights at optouttoday.com.
Elizabeth Hovde is a policy analyst and the director of the Centers for Health Care and Worker Rights at the Washington Policy Center. She is a Clark County resident.
Also read:
- POLL: Do you agree with giving a state commission the power to remove an elected sheriff?
A new poll asks if a state commission—not voters—should have the power to remove an elected sheriff, following concerns raised by Clark County Sheriff John Horch. - Opinion: Defending Democracy by denying it?
Washington voters are blocked from weighing in on new income taxes as state lawmakers and officials bypass public input, drawing criticism from Northwest voices. - Opinion: Stalin would be proud – Clark County Socialists gathered for ‘No Kings’
Reform Clark County’s Rob Anderson criticizes local and national groups for organizing protests that featured Auditor Greg Kimsey as a keynote, raising concerns about public trust and political partisanship. - Letter: Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle makes several serious and incorrect engineering statements
Bob Ortblad critiques engineering claims by Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, highlighting cost and safety advantages of an immersed tunnel for the I-5 crossing. - Opinion: The beginning of the end of anchor babies
Lars Larson argues the Constitution excludes children born to non-legal residents, as the Supreme Court debates birthright citizenship and public opinion data shows limited support.
