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Monday, April 10, 2017

At Least 20% of SEIU’s Budget Went to Politics

After spending big on Clinton, Obama, SEIU now facing steep budget cuts

Labor giant Service Employees International Union spent $60 million on politics and lobbying as well as $19 million on the Fight for 15 movement in 2016, and now finds itself laying off headquarters staff.

The union's federal filing to the Department of Labor reveal that it experienced marginal growth in 2016, adding about 15,000 members from 2015. However, that increase did not correlate with financial growth as revenue fell by $17 million, fueling a $10 million budget deficit.

The union, which represents healthcare and public sector workers, spent $61.6 million on political activities and lobbying in 2016, roughly 20 percent of its $314.6 million budget, according to the filing.

However, those figures may underestimate its political spending. The union spent $19 million on activist groups and public relations consultants to assist with the Fight for 15 campaign, which has successfully pushed for dramatic minimum wage increases in New York, California, and Washington, D.C., according to an analysis from the Center for Union Facts.

The majority of that money went to worker organizing committees, local groups that organized and staged protests outside of fast food eateries such as McDonald's, which the SEIU has long targeted for unionization. Payments to those seven committees totaled $14 million and were classified as "support for organizing," rather than "political activities and lobbying."

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The union shot themselves in every member's foot.

lmclain said...

That is roughly $167,000 A DAY. EVERY DAY.

For one whole year. For "lobbying". At least, that's what THEY call it.
Now you know why people will spend $20 million of their own money to get a job that pays them what they normally spend on fertilizer for their estate in the Hamptons.
Would YOU spend $10,000 to get a job at a place that pays you $11 an hour? Of course not. Most jobs don't have the potential for multimillion dollar bribes, unlimited drinking and drug use, unlimited teenage girls for parties, expensive trips for the entire family (all free!!), and a work schedule that even a crackhead could do.
61 million in one year for "lobbying". That's just ONE organization.
Keep cheering.