What is known about the SEIU? In 2008 all members were forced to pay a fixed amount ($6) for political campaign purposes. Then the SEIU gave Obama $40 million towards his election.
It’s time that California enacts a Right to Work law to protect employees from coercive union practises. Let Califonia employees choose whether to join a union and whether to pay union dues.
Four out of five Santa Cruz County’s employees (1,600 out of roughly 2,000) are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Though they are designated to contribute 7 percent of their salary for pension costs in fact government SEIU members contribute zero. For about the last ten years taxpayers paid 100% of the cost of SEIU pensions (more than $5 million a year).
Exactly when did 1,600 Santa Cruz County employees stop paying towards pensions? From the Santa Cruz County article 5-22 all we know is that about ten years aglo lots of people showed up and the County CEO caved.
So what might be different if Califonia becomes a Right to Work state? California might attract businesses which have left due to the high costs of labor and heavy restrictions. More businesses means more private sector job growth for California not dependent upon government. California can well use more people with real life experience running business who can contribute their perspective to running local government.
The following is from the Right to Work website.
The following states have a Right to Work law:
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
Under federal labor law and the state’s Right to Work law, you have the right to resign from membership in a union at any time. If you resign from membership, you may not be able to participate in union elections or meetings, vote in collective bargaining ratification elections, or participate in other “internal” union activities. If you resign, you cannot be disciplined by the union for any post-resignation conduct.
If you resign from union membership, you are still fully covered by the collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated between your employer and the union, and the union remains obligated to represent you. Any benefits that are provided to you by your employer pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement (e.g., wages, seniority, vacations, pension, health insurance) will not be affected by your resignation. (If the union offers some “members-only” benefits, you might be excluded from receiving those.)
The Foundation neither encourages nor discourages you from resigning. The decision is yours alone.
If you choose to resign and stop paying dues, and are on automatic “dues check off,” you should notify both the union and your employer in writing that you are resigning and revoking your authorization for automatic dues check off. While you may resign from union membership at anytime, you may be limited to a specific “window period” before you are able to end the automatic dues deductions. If that is what you are told, ask the union for a copy of the actual dues deduction card that you signed, and contact the Foundation for further information.
Your choice is protected by federal labor law and the state’s Right to Work law. If you have any questions, or feel that your legal rights need to be protected, please call the Foundation’s toll-free number, 1-800-336-3600.
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What protections are there for California employees who are forced to join a union and don’t want to pay union dues or support SEIU’s political agenda?
DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
