Union members to spend nonmember funds

Funds for political activities

OLYMPIA — A bill passed the state Senate Friday allowing unions to spend nonmembers' fees on political activities.

"Conceivably, unions will never again have to ask nonmember agency fee payers for permission to spend their funds for political purposes," Sen. Janea Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, said. "This is inexcusable."

Initiative 134, requiring union members to ask permission from nonmembers to use the fees for political purposes was implemented in 1994 after Washington voters approved it in 1992, according to Holmquist.

"There is absolutely no problem with collective bargaining, but there is a constitutional problem with being compelled to support political candidates with whom one does not agree," she said. "An accounting scheme meant to override this constitutional protection is wrong and will likely not fare well under judicial examination."

She referred to an opinion-editorial written by Warden High School teacher Angie Dorman.

'"In the face of a possible decision against them, the (Washington Education Association) has decided to circumvent the constitution and the people of Washington by drafting legislation that, it passed, will ensure their ability to intimidate and control teachers all over the state,"' Holmquist read in the letter from Dorman.

The majority party blocked attempts to remove an emergency clause stating protecting the WEA from a civil lawsuit was a state emergency, Holmquist noted. The clause does not allow voters to have a public vote through the referendum process on the issue.

"This proposal does not constitute an emergency," she said. "Furthering a union's coercive gathering of political funds is no state emergency. The voters of this state deserve the opportunity to weigh in on this Legislature's attempt to undermine the protections granted in Initiative 134."