Why this union steward voted for Proposition 75
Jonathan King
October 22, 2005
My union bona fides are pretty good. I am one of only a few California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA) activists to have served as president of two locals. My service also includes a stint as the supervisory vice president and I had a seat on the Political Action Committee that established CCPOA as a major player in Sacramento by giving Pete Wilson one million dollars of the membership's dues money in 1990. My name was one of five on the checks.
I voted for Proposition 75 when I mailed in my absentee ballot a few days ago.
A few months before that I voted for a special union dues assessment for political action money targeted to remove the Arnold Schwarzenegger from office in 2006. When Proposition 75 passes I will sign the approval that allows CCPOA to continue using my dues for politics. That is what the initiative is all about --- free choice.
Public employees who support union political activities will continue to do so after Prop 75 passes by saying so in writing. It's really that simple. Its really that fair. The unions don't see it that way and have spent well over thirty million so far to fight the ballot proposition. The reason for this is simple: the bosses know most of the rank-and-file don't agree with them about paying for political activity. Many of us don't want our dues money spent on the far left causes and blame-America-first politicians the unions favor.
Even more public employees don't give a damn about politics either way and will never take the affirmative action Propostion 75 will require before the unions can use their money to play politics. The bosses know this and understand their status as Big Blue fat cats and political influence will disappear when the initiative passes.
The special dues assessment I mentioned above passed by a vote of something like 6,000 for to 4,000 against. Over half the membership didn't even bother to vote. Now, a strong case can be made that the hammerheads who didn't vote have nothing coming and shouldn't bitch (even though many of them are). But what about the 4,000 plus prison and parole officers who voted no? They are being forced to give up $594 to pay for political action they disapprove of. Of course, this is in addition to the sizeable chunk of their dues allotments that already go into the PAC accounts.
To its credit CCPOA at least gives the membership at large the final say in these matters. The leaders of the other unions that have "approved" special dues assessments this year have not.
The bosses opposing Prop 75 claim it is not needed because unionists who don't want their dues spent on politics can opt out now. The unions never advertised this prior to the Prop 75 campaign, but the rank-and-file can write letters making the request. Their dues are not reduced by one cent when they do. Also, there is no way to verify the unions are being honest and cutting the PAC budgets. Finally, many public employees can't opt out without losing benefits the unions administer.
Please don't give me that leftist craptrap comparing corporations and stockholders to unions and public employees in closed shops. I can sell the shares of any company I own stock in at any time management takes an action I disapprove of. And I have.
Unions can't extort money from their members to support religious missions. Why should they be allowed to confiscate workers' earnings to support political action?
Even the normally pro-union editorial boards at the LA Times and Fresno Bee support Proposition 75 ...
Its the American Way.
I voted for Proposition 75 when I mailed in my absentee ballot a few days ago.
A few months before that I voted for a special union dues assessment for political action money targeted to remove the Arnold Schwarzenegger from office in 2006. When Proposition 75 passes I will sign the approval that allows CCPOA to continue using my dues for politics. That is what the initiative is all about --- free choice.
Public employees who support union political activities will continue to do so after Prop 75 passes by saying so in writing. It's really that simple. Its really that fair. The unions don't see it that way and have spent well over thirty million so far to fight the ballot proposition. The reason for this is simple: the bosses know most of the rank-and-file don't agree with them about paying for political activity. Many of us don't want our dues money spent on the far left causes and blame-America-first politicians the unions favor.
Even more public employees don't give a damn about politics either way and will never take the affirmative action Propostion 75 will require before the unions can use their money to play politics. The bosses know this and understand their status as Big Blue fat cats and political influence will disappear when the initiative passes.
The special dues assessment I mentioned above passed by a vote of something like 6,000 for to 4,000 against. Over half the membership didn't even bother to vote. Now, a strong case can be made that the hammerheads who didn't vote have nothing coming and shouldn't bitch (even though many of them are). But what about the 4,000 plus prison and parole officers who voted no? They are being forced to give up $594 to pay for political action they disapprove of. Of course, this is in addition to the sizeable chunk of their dues allotments that already go into the PAC accounts.
To its credit CCPOA at least gives the membership at large the final say in these matters. The leaders of the other unions that have "approved" special dues assessments this year have not.
The bosses opposing Prop 75 claim it is not needed because unionists who don't want their dues spent on politics can opt out now. The unions never advertised this prior to the Prop 75 campaign, but the rank-and-file can write letters making the request. Their dues are not reduced by one cent when they do. Also, there is no way to verify the unions are being honest and cutting the PAC budgets. Finally, many public employees can't opt out without losing benefits the unions administer.
Please don't give me that leftist craptrap comparing corporations and stockholders to unions and public employees in closed shops. I can sell the shares of any company I own stock in at any time management takes an action I disapprove of. And I have.
Unions can't extort money from their members to support religious missions. Why should they be allowed to confiscate workers' earnings to support political action?
Even the normally pro-union editorial boards at the LA Times and Fresno Bee support Proposition 75 ...
Its the American Way.
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