California Proposition Endorsements

Proposition 75: Public Employee Union Dues
Recommendation: Vote NO

This measure is a government-imposed one-size-fits-all mandate that interferes with democratic decision-making within a union. It imposes considerable cost and paperwork requirements on union political activities, but does not impose any of the same restrictions on corporations or businesses. According to the Alliance for a Better California, corporations outspend unions 24 to 1 for political purposes. Opponents of the measure argue that the US Supreme court has already ruled that no public employee can be forced to join a union or association and contribute to politics. Proponents believe that the law should restrict only the political voice of public employees who belong to a union or association - not the political voice of corporations or their employees. The measure is crafted to replace individual decision-making with a bureaucratic, government-imposed process. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has endorsed this initiative. The Governor earlier proposed the elimination of death benefits received by the widows and orphans of firefighters and police officers who die in the line of duty. Schwarzenegger backed down on his proposal after the unions objected. Some believe his support of this iniative is a political payback. We recommend voting NO on Prop. 75.