(The Center Square) – Government unions across the country spent more than $900 million during the 2023-2024 election cycle, according to a new report.
The Commonwealth Foundation’s most recent report found the top four public sector unions: the National Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees spent over $915 million on politics during the 2023-2024 cycle.
The unions spent $755 million on federal elections and policies while their state affiliates spent $160 million on state races and policies. California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington saw the highest amount spent on state races with a total of $105 million of union spending.
Almost $650 million came from union members’ dues, which makes up more than 85% of what the unions spent on national politics. The remaining amount of money came from the unions’ political action committees.
“Union executives appear more willing than ever to use members’ dues money – not just voluntary PAC dollars – to get their friends elected and progressive causes funded,” said David Osborne, senior director of Labor Policy for the Commonwealth Foundation.
The report found that 95.8% of donations for state-level candidates went toward Democrats. On the federal level, 98.8% of union donations went to Democrats.
The four unions donated $5 million to President Joe Biden’s campaign, according to the report. Biden was eventually replaced by Vice President Kamala Harris.
When looking at the state breakdown, Illinois’ public sector union officials spent $29.9 million, more than what union officials spent in any other state. In 2023, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson received more than $5.5 million from the government employee unions, according to the report.
Followed by the spending in Illinois, union officials spent $25.8 million on political initiatives in California; $18.6 million in Washington; $17.9 million in Massachusetts; and $12.8 million in Pennsylvania.
“Workers deserve to know how their hard-earned money is spent by their union leaders. Union influence across the nation should be earned through member participation, not by shady back-door money shuffling through PACs and affiliated group contributions,” Osborne said.
The report also analyzed union spending toward causes and organizations not directly involved with elections. The unions donated $18 million to the For our Future Action Fund; $935,150 to the NAACP; and $100,000 to Protect Constitutional Abortion Rights.
“Now, union members are unwittingly propping up left-leaning candidates and progressive causes like abortion, critical race theory, and defunding the police,” Osborne said.
The Commonwealth Foundation used publicly available data, including federal and state finance reporting and union filings to compile the report.
“It’s due time that government unions’ hidden agendas face much-needed accountability as they try to win states through the wallets of unsuspecting workers,” Osborne said.
