Today, Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Chairman Rick Allen (R-GA) delivered the following statement, as prepared for delivery, at a
hearing titled
“Out of Touch: When Union Politics Leave Workers Behind”:
“We are here today to examine whether union leaders are truly representing the workers who pay their dues or advancing political agendas that many rank-and-file members do not share. This is a simple question with serious consequences for America’s workers. We will hear from today’s witnesses whether workers are getting the transparency and accountability they deserve and about the growing disparity between many members’ political views and the political activity of union leadership.
“Major unions overwhelmingly back Democrat candidates and progressive causes, while many union households voted for President Trump. At the same time, these unions have called for President Trump’s impeachment and organized opposition to administration policies ranging from border security to foreign policy.
“Unions endorse candidates who belong to the Democratic Socialists of America, an organization that calls for abolishing the Senate and the Supreme Court, defunding the police, and establishing universal rent control. While workers have a constitutional right to hold these views, many do not. The question is whether union leaders are using members’ money to advance political positions their members may not support. In fact, I believe many workers would be shocked to know where their union dues are really going.
“Union dues fund more than politics. According to unions’ own LM-2 filings, dues also pay for union leaders’ trips to resorts, sporting events, golf courses, and theme parks to the tune of millions of dollars each year. Many union headquarters staff and officers receive six‑figure salaries, with some leaders earning as much as five times the average wages of the workers they represent.
“The information we have about union spending is based on their own filings with the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Labor. This is how we know that union PACs spend more than 90 percent of their political expenditures on Democrat politicians and causes.
“Workers who choose to be represented by unions should have representatives who understand their membership and are willing to put aside their personal political preferences when speaking on behalf of those workers. Based on the written testimony from our witnesses, many American workers are not getting the union representation they want. We must hold these union leaders accountable for forgetting who they represent—not their own interests, but the interests of millions of American workers.”
