(The Center Square) – Government unions leverage payroll deductions to funnel money to almost exclusively Democratic candidates, according to a new report in Pennsylvania.
The Commonwealth Foundation, a conservative policy group based in Harrisburg, said government unions spent $33 million in 2023 and 2024 supporting political action committees and other causes, of which just 5.2% backed candidates from other parties.
Although many membership organizations spend money on political campaigns, critics like the foundation say unions have an unethical advantage by collecting membership dues via payroll deduction.
Foundation research shows that of the $227 million unions have spent on political endeavors since 2007, more than half was bankrolled by membership dues. According to the report, the organizations spent the money on voting drives, lobbying, mailers, and PAC contributions to sidestep claims that the money doesn’t directly support political candidates.
In August, the Freedom Foundation filed an ethics complaint against the Pennsylvania State Education Association – which represents 177,000 current and retired educators – that says the union concealed a $1.5 million campaign contribution to Gov. Josh Shapiro by routing it through unauthorized political funds and the Democratic Governors Association, violating state and federal campaign finance law.
In a statement to The Center Square, the association has denied the allegations. Investigations remain ongoing.
Andrew Holman, a foundation policy analyst and author of the report, said that in a swing state like Pennsylvania, it’s “impossible” for 9-in-10 members to agree completely with their union bosses’ political priorities.
“Government unions don’t even try to hide their blatant partisanship,” Holman said. “Unfortunately, it is union members who suffer when they learn how union bosses are spending their dues.”
In the 2024 election, for example, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters declined to endorse a presidential candidate – bucking a two-decade streak of Democratic support – because of its members’ differing views.
A straw poll conducted that same year showed 60% of the union’s rank-and-file members supported Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. During the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien reiterated the sea change.
“The American people aren’t stupid,” he said. “They know the system is broken. We all know how Washington is run. Working people have no chance of winning this fight.”
The Teamsters represent 1.3 million workers – from newspaper reporters to zookeepers to police officers and everything in between – across the country. It was Republican congressional support guaranteeing sick leave for unionized rail workers, however, that inspired O’Brien to endorse Trump – even if he was called “traitor.”
“I want to be clear: at the end of the day, the Teamsters are not interested if you have a D, R or I next to your name,” he said. “We want to know one thing: what are you doing to help American workers.”
Regional chapters of the union stood behind Kamala Harris and other Democratic candidates. Holman’s research found that the same held true in Pennsylvania, where unions spent $2.1 million on state and local races that helped maintain the party’s one-seat majority in the state House of Representatives.
“With a long-standing record of transparency issues within these unions, many members remain in the dark about what their dues are actually funding,” Holman said.
His research found that in the last campaign cycle, government unions contributed $6.5 million to legislative Democrats and just under $661,000 to legislative Republicans.
Moreover, dues covered $7.1 million in pay for union members on leave for political activity, $1.4 million on Super PACs and $1.2 million for consultants.
The foundation says lawmakers should change the rules about payroll deductions to prevent financial support through a taxpayer-funded system.
“Taxpayer resources should never be used to subsidize political agendas, and union members deserve full transparency and control over how their dues are spent,” he said. “It’s time for lawmakers to end the special privileges that allow government unions to amass undue political power and operate without accountability. Union influence should be earned through member input and trust – not propped up by taxpayers and hidden agendas.”
