Posted on 05/08/2016 12:18:11 PM PDT by Kaslin
California union workers will continue to be in the dark about how their dues are spent after a bill that wouldve forced unions to post this information online was killed along a party-line vote.
Californias public employee unions used their muscle this week to fight back a legislative bid to open their books, killing in committee a bill that would force them to post online how dues are spent -- and a second bill requiring a union vote every two years.
"These members want to belong to a union. They want to be represented by a union. They just want to know where their money's at, said Republican Assemblywoman Shannon Grove, the bill's sponsor.
Theresa Rutherford of SEIU local 1021 said the issue is not about the bills, but rather about right-wing billionaires fighting for their interest and fighting to stymie the rights of the union.
But the real battle began five years ago after a union member filed a complaint over transparency.
At the time, Mariam Noujaim, a long-time state employee, noticed a crossing guard at the State Capitol on an empty street that already had a tunnel built under it for pedestrians. A self-described cheapskate, Noujaim sensed a waste of money.
She later learned it was a make-work job provided to her union, the Service Employees International Union or SEIU. She demanded to see their books. They refused. She sued and later got involved with the legislation.
"This is my case," said Noujaim, an Egyptian immigrant. "Show me the money."
She and others are vowing to keep fighting for transparency and accountability, despite this weeks legislative loss.
SEIU is the state's second-largest public employee union with some 700,000 members statewide. In her lawsuit, Noujaim won but was only given access to the union's $60 million budget for a few hours and was not allowed to make copies or bring an accountant.
Numbers are like a bikini. What they reveal is interesting. What they hide is vital," said attorney Mark Goudy, reports FoxNews.com.
SEIU lobbyist Randy Cheek pushed back in testimony, saying we already comply with the law and that we are totally open and transparent.
Despite the defeat, Noujaim and her colleague Lisa Garcia will continue fighting.
"Every single employee, I believe, in the state of California would rather take more of their money home as opposed to giving it to the unions," said Garcia, reports FoxNews.com.
I quit the AFL-CIO years ago. don’t miss them a bit.
I applied for county jobs, and recall where in benefits it stated you can join a union or not; however joining a union you have to pay dues OR not join a union BUT money will still be taken off your paycheck. WTF! That is sooo wrong!
Because they are robbing their members blind and have been doing so for decades.
Talk about self-idntification! The Dems just ID them selves.
Hey, union thugs, happy to know that your leadership may be filling their pockets at your expense, but you’ll never know it?
Isn’t common knowledge that most of it goes to the Democrat party?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.