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Maxford Nelsen
Director of Labor Policy
Maxford Nelsen is the Freedom Foundation’s Director of Labor Policy.
In this capacity, Max regularly testifies on labor issues before local governments and the state legislature. Max's research has formed the basis of several briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Max's work has been published in local newspapers around the country and in national outlets like the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Hill, National Review and the American Spectator. His work on labor policy issues has been featured in media outlets like the New York Times, Fox News and PBS News Hour. He is a frequent guest on local radio stations like 770 KTTH and 570 KVI.
From 2019-21, Max was a presidential appointee to the Federal Service Impasses Panel within the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which resolves contract negotiation disputes between federal agencies and labor unions.
Prior to joining the Freedom Foundation in 2013, Max worked for WashingtonVotes.org and the Washington Policy Center, and interned with the Heritage Foundation.
Max holds a labor relations certificate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated magna cum laude from Whitworth University with a bachelor's degree in political science. A Washington native, he lives in Olympia with his wife and sons.
Freedom Foundation supports federal agencies considering important labor reforms
This summer saw several positive, significant labor reform regulations advanced by federal agencies. In addition to supporting the Department of Health and Human Services’ repeal of an illegal 2014 regulation permitting states to siphon Medicaid funds to unions, the Freedom Foundation submitted formal comments in support of positive labor reform regulatory actions under consideration by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
Freedom Foundation files six complaints against cities and unions for campaign finance violations
This week, the Freedom Foundation filed six complaints with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) alleging three cities and three unions violated campaign finance laws while opposing local ballot propositions in 2014 that sought to make union dues payment optional for public employees and make collective bargaining negotiations involving public-sector unions and government officials open to public observation.
WA Dept. of Labor & Industries ejects Freedom Foundation staff for distributing pamphlets
Just before the 4th of July, the Washington Dept. of Labor and Industries kicked out Freedom Foundation staff distributing pamphlets about public employees’ First Amendment right to leave their union.
Freedom Foundation files complaint against AFSCME for major violations of Washington campaign finance rules
The Freedom Foundation filed a complaint with the Public Disclosure Commission alleging one of the political funds operated by the national AFSCME violated state campaign finance laws by failing to disclose tens of millions of dollars in contributions received and expenditures made to influence Washington elections.
West Coast caregivers take legal action to end union dues skimming from Medicaid
With legal assistance from the Freedom Foundation, a group of 10 West Coast home caregivers today took legal action to end the deduction of union dues and political contributions from their Medicaid payments.
Measuring Public-Sector Union Membership After Janus
In the year since the U.S. Supreme Court held that public employees cannot be required to financially support a union as a condition of employment, various efforts have been made to estimate and quantify the resulting changes in public-sector union membership. In order to better inform this ongoing discussion, this paper analyzes the strengths and limitations of the three primary data sources available to evaluate changes in public-sector union membership since the Janus decision.
Freedom Foundation sues the PDC for failing to enforce campaign finance laws
The Freedom Foundation filed a lawsuit this week against the Washington Public Disclosure Commission in Thurston County Superior Court for mishandling a campaign finance complaint against the Service Employees International Union’s Political Education and Action Fund.
WSLC: Some unions are more equal than others
A recent Freedom Foundation complaint uncovered how the Washington State Labor Council permits some members to join its President’s Club for free, while requiring others to contribute $150 to the WSLC’s political fund.
Freedom Foundation files campaign finance complaint against AFSCME Council 2
The Freedom Foundation has filed a complaint against the Washington State Council of County and City Employees with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission alleging the union failed to report tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to its political committee and consistently reported other contributions and expenditures late.
Unions keep fighting worker rights at their peril
Until unions perform some serious introspection, public employees will continue to resign their membership, those that can’t will continue to take legal action to vindicate their rights and whatever short-term political victories unions may achieve will be undermined by a disillusioned membership held captive by the force of law.
