Senate Republicans revive effort to limit public unions' use of dues for political activity

By Wallace McKelvey

January 31, 2017

Senate Republicans revived an effort Tuesday to limit public-sector labor unions' ability to marshal the political power of their membership.

Legislation passed out of the State Government Committee would prohibit the unions from using automatically deducted dues and contributions for any political purpose, including get-out-the-vote efforts, lobbying or voter registration drives.

Historically, both public and private labor unions were powerful forces in state politics although their influence waned in recent election cycles due to dwindling membership.

In recent years, many unions formed their own political action committees to pool resources to be used in both electoral and lobbying efforts in Harrisburg.

Proponents of so-called "paycheck protection" laws, which has already been implemented in Wisconsin, say they provide union members the opportunity to make their own decisions about how dues are spent. In the case of public-sector unions, supporters frame it as an ethics issue.

"I don't think anybody believes, as a general rule, [it's a good idea] to use government resources to do political work," said Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Blair County, who sponsored one of the bills. "The basis of the bill is to stop that practice."

Sen. Mike Regan, R-York County, said he doesn't see any difference between using dues collected via state government paychecks for politics and the kinds of ethical lapses that have landed lawmakers in jail for using state resources to run their campaigns.

Opponents, however, say such measures are aimed squarely at diminishing the power of organized labor which, with the exception of some law enforcement unions, has generally supported Democrats.

"For me, this is not a fairness issue, it's a political issue," said Senate Minority Whip Anthony Williams, D-Philadelphia. "For us to play coy about this is disingenuous."

Sen. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery County, said he believes the measures as drafted are overly broad.

"For example, a contract you're negotiating as a union could be with elected officials--the mayor or the governor," he said. "[And] it would be illegal for a union to even attempt to educate the public on the merits or deficits of a particular bill under this."

Two bills, one of them sponsored by York County Republican Sen. Scott Wagner, who did not attend Tuesday's committee meeting, will move on to wider consideration by the Senate.

"Opponents argue the cost to taxpayers is minimal," Wagner said, in a written statement after the meeting. "But cost has never been my focus. These unions are getting away with an activity that would send anyone else to jail - using taxpayer resources for political purposes."

Jerry Oleksiak, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, said the bill as a political attack on unions.

"Payroll deduction costs public employers nothing because payroll systems are automated," he said, in a written statement. "So, this doesn't save the taxpayers a dime. That's why the motive here is so transparent."