Union executives stop at very little – and certainly don’t let intellectual consistency get in the way – to achieve their self-interested agenda. As SHIFT reported, hypocrisy has become a frequent byproduct of their ambitions. Others are noticing the same trend as well, so here are three examples of the hypocrisy of union officials, according to the Freedom Foundation.
- “Tax loopholes are bad—except ours.”
Unions frequently advocate closing tax “loopholes” as a means to raise taxes to pay for budget items they push—such as pay hikes for state employee union employees. However, as SHIFT recently pointed out, unions receive quite a hefty tax break of their own. In Washington State, unions do not pay the state business and occupations tax. The exemption saves unions an estimated $9 million per year. As the Freedom Foundation writes, “Unions leading the charge to close tax loopholes should lead by example.”
- “The court should block the Freedom Foundation’s access to public records—but should allow ours.”
In an attempt to inform home healthcare workers of their right to opt-out of union membership – as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court – the Freedom Foundation asked for contact information via a public records request. The SEIU is suing to block any release of public records as part of its efforts to hide this new right from workers. However, the SEIU “actually received identical records” when it was lobbying for an issue that would, of course, benefit itself.
- “Wages for starting teachers are too low—and we work to keep it that way.”
The Freedom Foundation points out that in “Bellevue, Issaquah and Snohomish union officials take from the state-intended salary of young teachers and give to old teachers.” Additionally, “All districts have contracts that lay off young teachers as the first line of budget cuts.” Apparently, when the WEA advocates for the pay of teachers, they don’t mean all teachers—just a select few. After all, it wasn’t long ago that the WEA actually sued to block the Legislature from granting starting teachers pay raises.
WA Tax & Spend Democrats.