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Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Major labor union to slash budget in wake of Trump victory

The Service Employees International Union, one of the nation's largest unions, is slashing its budget by 30 percent in the wake of President-elect Trump's victory, portraying it in an internal memo as a necessary reaction to having fewer friends in power.

"Because the far right will control all three branches of the federal government, we will face serious threats to the ability of working people to join together in unions. These threats require us to make tough decisions that allow us to resist these attacks and to fight forward despite dramatically reduced resources," said SEIU President Mary Kay Henry in staff message dated Dec. 14, according to Bloomberg. The tough decisions include a 10 percent budget cut starting in January and an additional 20 percent cut starting in 2018.

SEIU was a major supporter of the Democrats in the last election, spending $21.6 million to help elect them, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The union had high hopes that a win by Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Democratic gains in Congress would cement efforts by the Obama administration to aid union organizing, boosting the movement's sagging numbers and treasuries.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a shame to the poor people forced to join a Liberal union they don't support. 21.6 million wasted on politics and not its own people. This is why unions suck.

Anonymous said...

So, my Union dues will now go down by 1/3? Great!

Anonymous said...

A 10% drop followed by a 20% drop is a combined 28% drop (not 30) for the mathematically challenged.

Not a fan of unions but overstating the reduction for dramatic effect and/or garnering sympathy is pointless.

Anonymous said...

$21.6 million! Folks, not worth it. We have hungry people that sure could have used that money to buy groceries, pay utilities/rent/day care, get re-educated. Unions served a good purpose back in the day but only protect the non productive hangers on today.

Anonymous said...

I work for the state. I have to pay union dues under protest through ASCUME They don't support me or my beliefs. They sent me letters and emails telling me to support Hillary for president! I told told them to go pound sand!