Posts tagged PAC

A charter by any other name
October 5, 2022 // In 1906, the federal government issued a federal charter to the National Education Association (NEA). This Congressional Charter was granted “for the purpose to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching; and to promote the cause of education in the United States”. Other organizations that fall in the same category include Little League Baseball and the Girl Scouts of America. The NEA is the only labor union to hold such a charter, and they are only one of two organizations with a federal charter to have a Political Action Committee (PAC). The NEA charter was granted prior to any federal guidelines for charter approval, and there is an assumption that to keep this status it would now need to meet the requirements set forth in 1969, which include being, “organized and operated as a nonpartisan and nonprofit organization.” Clearly, this is not the case. Charles W. Baird wrote an extensive report on the NEA and why it no longer meets the criteria for a federal charter:
Op-Ed: Government unions divert dues to leftist politics
May 29, 2022 // According to the most recent LM-2 form submitted by the NEA to the Internal Revenue Service, the union raked in a staggering $377 million in dues and agency fees during 2021 alone. Of that total, however, only $32 million was earmarked for representational activity — ostensibly the NEA’s top priority.
Northern PA Metal Worker Slams CWA Union with Federal Charges for Illegally Seizing Union PAC Money from Wages
May 5, 2022 // CWA officials also refused worker’s membership resignation, case comes as former CWA official Jennifer Abruzzo is top labor board prosecutor
Public Employees Rally Around Labor Reform in Pennsylvania
March 15, 2022 // The Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee eventually passed four of the bills that were discussed by the committee that day. The bills would: Keep public employees’ personal information private; let employees see full contracts before they’re voted on; require employers to tell public employees they have the right to choose whether or not to join or pay a union; and stop public employers from using public funds to collect political donations for the unions.
Why Pennsylvania Needs Wisconsin-Style Government Union Reform
February 24, 2022 // Government union executives use this power to trap government employees in unions, deny them alternative representation, and lobby against fiscal and educational reforms needed to make Pennsylvania more prosperous.
‘Doorknockers’ challenge to California gig-worker law goes before Ninth Circuit
February 7, 2022 // Political canvassers and signature gatherers claim they should be treated as independent contractors, like salespeople and newspaper carriers.

MOONEY: Free Speech Suit against Teacher’s Union Could Boost Labor Reform
January 25, 2022 // “Pennsylvania should not have unconstitutional laws on its books. Nor should we use taxpayer-funded payroll systems to collect campaign cash. Correcting these problems will empower public employees and help ensure fairness in government. It’s encouraging to see House lawmakers moving to protect employees’ private data and shine the light of transparency on deals that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.”
Paycheck protection needed to prevent government payroll from funding partisan political activism
January 19, 2022 // But a proposed “paycheck protection” bill would end this practice by prohibiting school districts, and other public employers, from automatically deducting contributions to political action committees out of employee wages.