For decades, Washington’s public-sector unions have dominated the state’s political landscape. But the tide is turning. Citizens throughout the state are partnering with the Freedom Foundation to challenge the status quo.
Volunteers in Sequim, Shelton, Blaine and Chelan have taken two of the Freedom Foundation’s ideas and gathered signatures to petition their government by citizen initiative.
In these cities, residents worked throughout the summer to gather hundreds of signatures in support of two ballot measures that promote transparency and employee choice. Prop 1 opens city collective bargaining agreement negotiations to the public. Prop 2 gives city employees the right to choose whether to join a union or not.
To the average Washingtonian, these are common-sense, good-government reforms. To the unions, these reforms represent a precedent-setting challenge to their dominance and privilege. Public-sector unions and their government supporters are rightfully fearful of these initiatives. They would expose the all-too-cozy relationship between public-sector unions and government, as well as cost unions millions of dollars in forced dues if similar initiatives are passed throughout the state.
The unions have joined the Sequim City Council in maligning both the reforms and the citizens who proposed them. The Freedom Foundation supports these brave Sequim citizens and will not abandon them—unlike their city council and union representatives.
The city of Sequim is just one example of how public-sector unions and government together fight against the people using the people’s own money.
Left unchecked for too many years, the symbiotic relationship between public-sector union bosses and the politicians they support has grown steadily more sinister. In this “unholy alliance” between union bosses and the politicians they finance, taxpaying citizens and public servants get the short end of the stick.
Forced dues and powerful political allies have created public-sector union machines capable of intimidating and silencing anyone bold enough to question the unions’ agenda. Public-sector unions are funded through forced dues and their government cronies are funded by the taxpayers. In other words, public-sector unions and their bought-and-paid-for politicians use taxpayer-funded paycheck deductions from public servants to rip off taxpayers and pay lip service to their public servant members.
Rest assured, however, the game has changed. Public-sector unions are now being forced to defend their anti-transparency and anti-choice positions. And Sequim is just the beginning of the Freedom Foundation’s offensive.
Unions do little to protect their own members or promote responsive government, even though they consistently shadow-box against “evil corporate interests” and “union-busting millionaires.” Every month, public servants are forced to pay dues to these private groups more interested in expanding their membership and building political power than protecting employees’ interests.
Union hypocrisy is appalling. Just last year, the unions supported a citizen initiative in SeaTac that led to the adoption of a $15 minimum wage. When the initiative was temporarily disqualified from the ballot, the unions filed suit and claimed the court’s decision “disenfranchised voters.”
Now, when people want to vote on modest reforms that enhance transparency and worker choice, the unions are marshaling their forces to throw the voter back under the bus.
Brave citizens are now demanding that the courts force city officials to do their duty and allow a vote on the labor-reform measures.
The unions are facing an opponent that is resourced, competent and unrelenting. Fed-up residents all across Washington are uniting with the Freedom Foundation to go on the offensive against the union goliath. With a new legal team now in place, the Freedom Foundation offers citizens a reliable ally to champion their will over the special interests of greedy union bosses and their paid-for politicians.
The days of union collusion with elected officials to bully and silence the people are numbered. We at the Freedom Foundation will not only continue to hold politicians accountable, we will take the fight directly to the unions. Join the fight. Your support is critical, now more than ever. We will meet the union machine step for step, toe to toe, to vindicate the rights of citizens.
The time for playing defense is over. Free Washingtonians are on the move, and together we will win.
