AFSCME Memo Lies About Dues & Politics

Some union leaders are bullying their members to support their political agenda.

Don’t believe me? Read this:

Each fair share fee payer is a sign of weakness. It tells the Governor that you don’t believe in the cause and you stand with him.

These menacing words come from an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) memo (embedded below) which urges non-member “fair share” fee payers—who might object to union politics—to join up as full, dues-paying members.

But the union goes on to mislead members as to how those dues will be used: “As you already know AFSCME cannot use union dues for political purposes,” the memo states.

This is the union executives’ biggest lie in the whole paycheck protection debate. True, mandatory union dues cannot be given directly to a political candidate.

But union dues are used for politics all the time. In fact, AFSCME Council 13 reported using $813,659 in dues for “political activity & lobbying” in 2013. The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), which is the political heavy-hitter among the government unions, spent a whopping $3,764,154 last year.

The PSEA also published an IRS-mandated notice in their June 2013 newsletter, which said they intended to use 12 percent (or more than $7 million) of members’ dues on political activities this year.

These unions have a right to their views and to advocate for them.

But they should not have the right to do so with public resources, while blatantly misleading their members who may disagree with their political views.

AFSCME Local 2528 PAC Solicitation by Commonwealth Foundation