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Government of the Unions, by the Unions, for the Unions
Townhall.com ^ | September 28, 2021 | Stephen Moore

Posted on 09/28/2021 3:58:09 AM PDT by Kaslin

resident Joe Biden keeps boasting that all the new jobs his programs will supposedly create will be "good-paying union jobs." But, Joe, what about the 93% of private sector workers who are not members of unions? Does he care about them?

The Labor Department reports that in America today, 6.3% of all private sector workers are union members. So more than 10 of 11 private workers aren't.

The only area where unions are growing in America is in government. Nearly half of government workers, led by teachers, are unionized. And they are radicalized.

Meanwhile, nearly every policy coming out of the White House gives special-interest privileges for the labor bosses.

Some of these acts are just pure giveaways to big labor as a payback for the hundreds of millions of dollars organized labor spent to get Biden elected.

Here are some of the sweetheart kisses for the unions with taxpayers picking up the tab:

First, a new law requiring union workforces on nearly every federal project. Nonunion contractors need not apply. By the way, these rules add up to 20% to the cost of every construction and service contract.

In the Green New Deal bill that has already passed in the Senate, there are tax breaks for renewable energy -- but only if these projects are unionized.

Another absurdity is the creation of a new provision to make union dues tax-deductible. This will put millions of dollars into coffers of the unions.

The granddaddy of them all is a provision in the so-called jobs bill that would end "right-to-work" laws in 27 states, which emphasize a worker's choice to join a union and prevent them from being forced to do so.

This is an audacious power grab by the federal government that would, for the first time in American history, force potentially tens of millions of U.S. workers to join a union against their will. This overturns almost 75 years of labor law that left workers' rights up to the states.

This will force workers to have money snatched from their paychecks and rerouted to union bank accounts. Workers would also have to contribute to political advocacy efforts by big labor whether they support the causes and candidates or not. This is anything but "pro-choice."

Why do Democrats genuflect at the altar of the unions? Because the unions fund Democratic campaigns. For example, in 2020, the public sector unions donated $93 million to candidates, parties and political groups. More than 90% of candidate contributions went to Democrats.

So what we have here is a legal form of Democrats rewarding their donors with federal favors. That's called "pay to play." Or graft.

I should make it clear that I am not against workers' rights to form and join a union for collective bargaining. The right to associate is a basic First Amendment right in America. What I am against is the government forcing people to join unions.

There are good reasons why Americans may not want to join a union. They may not agree with union policies or positions. The highest performers may want to negotiate their own wages and benefits and be paid by their performance.

Or they may be turned off by the rampant corruption in union labor halls, as in embezzlement, racketeering, inflated salaries and theft. The indispensable website UnionFacts.com has counted 2,100 criminal cases and $156 million in penalties from 2000 to 2019. These bosses aren't saints.

The combination of big government and big labor is a witch's brew of misbehavior and corruption. Who ultimately pays the tab? The 93% of American private workers who aren't part of the club.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dol; joebiden; unions

1 posted on 09/28/2021 3:58:09 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

“Why do Democrats genuflect at the altar of the unions? Because the unions fund Democratic campaigns. For example, in 2020, the public sector unions donated $93 million to candidates, parties and political groups. More than 90% of candidate contributions went to Democrats.”

Welcome to the most auccessful transfer of your hard earned dollars directly to the Demoncrat Party. This should be illegal! (For if the GOPhens did it, they would be arrested!)


2 posted on 09/28/2021 4:06:34 AM PDT by Shady (The #JihadJunta is in full control in DC..The Prince is toast..And who killed Ashli Babbitt? )
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To: Kaslin

Mama never said life was fair.


3 posted on 09/28/2021 4:07:39 AM PDT by HighSierra5 (The only way you know a commie is lying is when they open their pieholes.)
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To: Kaslin

Even public workers are getting screwed now.

Look at the public sector unions that have sold out their memberships by refusing to fight vaxx mandates.

Note to public sector workers: Deep State is your enemy, too.


4 posted on 09/28/2021 4:17:59 AM PDT by mewzilla (Those aren't masks. They're muzzles. )
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To: Kaslin

eventually it all comes crashing down


5 posted on 09/28/2021 4:18:41 AM PDT by ronnie raygun
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To: Shady

It is not just the monetary donations that the unions donate to Dems. Maybe even more beneficial to them, is the manpower that union members put into elections.


6 posted on 09/28/2021 4:31:26 AM PDT by Freee-dame
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To: Kaslin

If I’m ever forced to join a union as a condition of bidding on a government project, I’ll just start my own and call it the MAGA Union.


7 posted on 09/28/2021 4:39:23 AM PDT by Alberta's Child ("All lies and jest, ‘til a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.")
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To: Freee-dame

But the rank and file started voting the wrong way.

So that manpower will be replaced with manpower that does vote the right way.

Note to public sector workers: Deep State is your enemy, too.


8 posted on 09/28/2021 4:42:02 AM PDT by mewzilla (Those aren't masks. They're muzzles. )
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To: Shady

Letting the “public sector” unionize was probably one of the greatest errors of the 20th century.

You automatically create a sort of civilian army fighting for the government, on its behalf and to constantly expand and empower it…because government is what these union members live on.

It was always regarded as a conflict of interest, but JFK in 1962 signed the first act permitting unionization of federal civil service employees and we can see the disastrous results in full flower now.


9 posted on 09/28/2021 4:43:12 AM PDT by livius
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To: Kaslin

Most union folks live well...I mean, just sayin’. Okay, I’m leaving...


10 posted on 09/28/2021 5:04:25 AM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)
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