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PA Union Campaign Contributions Exceed $10 Million
Pennsylvania government unions gave more than $10.5 million to candidates last election cycle. We updated our analysis of union political spending using the latest reports filed with the PA Department of State.
| Total Pennsylvania Government Union PAC Spending for 2014 Election Cycle | |||
| Union | 2013 | 2014 | Total |
| Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA-PACE) | $469,654 | $2,711,333 | $3,180,987 |
| Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) | $115,309 | $288,676 | $403,985 |
| American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 13 | $541,093 | $686,040 | $1,227,133 |
| AFSCME People | $401,736 | $1,123,506 | $1,525,242 |
| PA Service Employees International Union (SEIU)* | $267,264 | $2,144,011 | $2,411,275 |
| United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 1776 | $187,986 | $206,944 | $394,930 |
| PA American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) | $60,347 | $93,715 | $154,062 |
| American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania (AFT-PA) | $8,500 | $33,300 | $41,800 |
| American Federation of Teachers (Washington, DC – National) | $0 | $1,057,315 | $1,057,315 |
| Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT Pol Action Fund) | $15,187 | $56,438 | $71,625 |
| Total | $2,067,075 | $8,401,278 | $10,468,353 |
| *Includes political expenditures from PSSU Local SEIU 668 COPE Fund Source: https://www.campaignfinanceonline.state.pa.us |
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Most of these campaign contributions were collected not by unions but with the help of you the taxpayer. State and local governments, along with school districts, deduct campaign contributions from the paychecks of employees, bundle it, and send the money onto union leaders.
Of course, this $10.5 million in direct campaign contributions is only the tip of the iceberg. Unions spend millions more each year on political activity from workers' dues—including contributions to SuperPACs, which run “independent” campaign ads supporting or attacking candidates.
Legislation ending the taxpayer collection of union political monies—known as paycheck protection or “Mary's Law“—is currently advancing through the state Senate.