Introduction
A recent study conducted by the Commonwealth Foundation has shed light on the significant political power held by government unions in Washington, D.C. and across various states in the country. According to the study, government unions utilize this power to promote left-leaning causes and elect political leaders who will safeguard their interests. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the prioritization of union executives over union members and taxpayers by federal, state, and local governments.
The Influence of Government Unions
The Commonwealth Foundation’s research revealed that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) together allocated vast amounts of money to support liberal causes. The unions’ spending on political activities surpassed their expenditures on categories directly linked to supporting their membership.
Political Expenditures
According to the study, the four largest unions spent over $2.79 billion in 2021 and 2022. However, only $554 million, less than 20% of total expenditures, was allocated to activities closely associated with membership support. The unions’ political expenditures included a combined $157 million from their political action committees (PACs) at the federal level, with significant disbursements to organizations such as the Senate Majority PAC, NEA Advocacy Fund, and SEIU Political Education and Action Fund/United We Can.
Partisan Support
The unions’ PACs also directly contributed $8.34 million to political candidates, the majority of which went to Democrats. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia emerged as the top recipient, having received over $60,000 from the PACs. Furthermore, approximately $145 million was funneled to state and local levels during the 2022 election cycle. The report notes that a significant majority of these contributions favored Democratic candidates.
Geographical Focus
The study revealed that the unions directed a significant portion of their state-level funds towards Illinois, California, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Over 99% of the federal union PAC money benefited the Democratic Party, while 95% of state PAC contributions similarly favored the party.
Implications and Observations
The Commonwealth Foundation suggests that the unions’ substantial spending on federal politics could explain the preferential treatment they receive from the Biden administration. The report cites instances where the administration incorporated language suggestions from the AFT into the Center for Disease Control’s school reopening guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the administration proposed significant funding for union-backed community schools.
At the time of reporting, the unions had not provided a comment in response to the study’s findings.
