The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, one the most influential labor unions, spent nearly $20 million more on politics than it did on representing its members, The Washington Free Beacon reported, citing a federal labor filing.
Just over $55 million was spent by AFSCME on "political activities and lobbying" in 2016, compared to $36.4 million for "representational activities," including contract negotiations.
The union has 1.3 million public sector employees. Most of its political spending went to help Democratic candidates, according to the Free Beacon.
The website noted the union's political spending is at the heart of a case likely headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. A lawsuit brought against the union is attempting to overturn an earlier decision allowing state and local governmental agencies to require public workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment.
AFSCME officials are looking to gain support from liberal activists in defending its right to collect the dues from workers.
"We need the entire labor and progressive movements to stand with us and fight for us," wrote Naomi Walker, assistant to AFSCME president Lee Saunders wrote in an article for In These Times.
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6 comments:
That was one of the reasons I quit them and represented myself. Their Representatives always depended on you and they were not very knowledgeable in rules / regulations / State law. Unions are organizers that talk a good game to the weak minded who knows nothing about what can and cannot happen. They are con-artist just like Obama was / is.
As a state employee I am required to be a member of this Union, whether I want to be or not. Dues come out of every paycheck and there is nothing I can do about it. It's all a bunch of crap and a waste of my hard earned money.
So what else is new? What has a union done for you lately? They have outlived their purpose and only serve to keep the undesirables from getting whacked and on the payroll.
4:07 thank O'Malley / Busch / Miller / along with then Conway / Mathias and the rest of the Democrats in Annapolis.
Partying like there is no tomorrow on the workers dime,despicable.
Imagine how Democrats would feel if workers were forced to pay dues and the money went to the Republicans?
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