Union Dues Spent on Golf, Cadillac, Resorts, and Even Wal-Mart

Center for Union Facts ^ | 4/3/06 | Center for Union Facts

[wagglebee]

Washington, DC – Revised financial reporting requirements by the Department of Labor (DOL) are exposing union leaders’ spending habits with unprecedented clarity. Last Friday (3/31), most major unions filed their LM-2 financial disclosure forms with the government, and jaw-dropping expenditures are already easy to find.

Using the search function on www.unionfacts.com, making sense of the mountains of union financial data is simple. A preliminary look revealed the following:

• Nearly $1.5 million in union members’ dues money was spent on golf.
• The Ironworkers AFL-CIO Local Union 40 spent $52,879 on a new Cadillac for a retiring president.
• $7.9 million of employee dues money went to resort expenditures.
• The Boilermakers AFL-CIO Local 374 spent $8,800 of employee dues money on Christmas gifts at Wal-Mart, despite the labor movement’s smear campaign against the retailer.
• Between six AFL-CIO locals, over $50,000 of employee dues money was spent at a single D.C. steakhouse.
• The AFL-CIO alone spent over $49 million on political activities and lobbying—much of which is spent quietly on in-kind political expenditures like pro-Kerry brochures and websites. That’s almost $20 million more than it spent on representation activities.

“The increased transparency of union spending will be especially meaningful to union members who are getting their first candid look at how their mandatory union dues are spent by labor officials,” said Richard Berman executive director of the Center for Union Facts. “The 40% of union members who voted for George W. Bush might be interested to know just how much of their dues money went to support John Kerry.”

To learn more visit: www.UnionFacts.com. For further information or to arrange an interview please call Sarah Longwell at (202) 463-7106.

[wagglebee]

“The 40% of union members who voted for George W. Bush might be interested to know just how much of their dues money went to support John Kerry.”

I suspect that most of these people would happily quit their unions and get to keep their dues if they also got to keep their jobs.

[Erik Latranyi]

The AFL-CIO alone spent over $49 million on political activities and lobbying—much of which is spent quietly on in-kind political expenditures like pro-Kerry brochures and websites. That’s almost $20 million more than it spent on representation activities.

This is the real rub. If they could spend $20 million more on political activities than on representation (this does not count the steak houses and golf outings) it sounds like union dues are set too high.

[darkwing104]

Wal-Mart!...Why that is a sacrilege, How dare they do such a heinous act!

[wagglebee]

If union dues are too high, that means that union wages are in all likelihood too high too and that would also mean that we as consumers are paying too much for the products we buy and it's all so leftist thugs can go to steak houses, golf outings, buy Cadillacs, etc.

[madison10]

Bet the UAW's financial disclosure statements would REALLY make our heads spin.

If it weren't for the threat of being treated like crap on the job there wouldn't be any unions; however, many of the companies are ruthless and give the union member little choice. If there were an ALTERNATE type of protection the unions would be gone in a heartbeat. Hey...I know let's nationalize worker protection. /sarcasm

[yankeedame]

I suspect that most of these people would happily quit their unions and get to keep their dues if they also got to keep their jobs.

And their kneecaps.

[Erik Latranyi]

...and it's all so leftist thugs can go to steak houses, golf outings, buy Cadillacs, etc.

I bet a lot of rank and file members are going to love hearing that their leaders live better than the executives who run the company.

Thank the Bush Administration for letting this out, folks. This is the work of the Labor Department finally enforcing the rules against unions.

[Last Dakotan]

Anybody got a clue why the Republican leadership has not pursued National Right to Work?

[Question_Assumptions]

The key necessity for a good society is for people to have a sense of good and evil that transcends group affiliation rather than defining good and evil by group affiliation. Once people "protect their own" no matter how wrong "their own" are against other people, no matter how right they are, you can forget about people being good because the group will protect the evil people among them. I don't care if we are talking about teachers, police officers, unions, racial groups, ethnic groups, tribe, religion, or whatever. People need to reject the evil among them and not wink at it just because "they are one of us".

[EagleUSA]

Is this any surprise? Look at who and what you are dealing with...

[Falconspeed]

Great resource. Thanks. The unions leaders spend the member's money without thinking about the members. I belong to two unions and both are drains on my income. I'll follow up wit the UnionFacts.com link.

[SamAdams76]

Unions were always clever at playing the workers and management off of each other. Workers who "unionize" merely exchange one form of tyranny for one that is far more insidious and evil. At least management cares about the long-term prospects of the company and the welfare of the workforce. The unions couldn't care less about either. All they want is their piece of the action. And if it is more profitable for them to bargain away pay cuts and other concessions for "their workers" in exchange for certain kickbacks from the company, they will do so in a heartbeat. Workers who allow unions to negotiate their wages and benefits in the workplace are fools.

[Windsong]

Wal Mart and Unions...what a surprise.

[Wheee The People]

I like Wal Mart.

[okie01]

The AFL-CIO alone spent over $49 million on political activities and lobbying—much of which is spent quietly on in-kind political expenditures like pro-Kerry brochures and websites. That’s almost $20 million more than it spent on representation activities.

That kinda makes unions the equivalent of a Democrat PAC (or 527) which has the secondary purpose of negotiating employment contracts for its contributors.

Simply amazing! But not surprising...

[marblehead17]

ping

[sgtbono2002]

My Union keeps asking for PAC money. Hell will freeze over before they get a dime from me. I dont support the Dem Party.

[Spktyr]

The alternate is called "contract labor" and "OSHA."

[Myrddin]

Anybody got a clue why the Republican leadership has not pursued National Right to Work?

You can spot the union losers around Pocatello. They are the ones sporting the bumper sticker that says, "Right to Work Laws Suck". I would put a counter bumper sticker on my vehicle, but I know that would only incite the morons to vandalize my vehicle. I've already experienced vandalism of my car by the IBEW in San Diego. They did over $1200 damage to my car because they wanted a damn $60 initiation fee. I was also the target of the CWA shop steward cutting phone service from my home because I changed a 212 modem option switch after waiting 6 weeks for a union thug to do the work.

[Iscool]

“The 40% of union members who voted for George W. Bush might be interested to know just how much of their dues money went to support John Kerry.”

I doubt it...That pales in comparison to how many scores of millions of their tax dollars Bush continues to send to the Hamas terrorists in Southern Israel...

The working people are getting robbed by everyone...