Freedom Foundation CEO: Knocking On Doors In Michigan While New York Tries To Shut Us Down

A House hearing on the political spending of public employee unions and an interview with the Freedom Foundation's CEO on helping workers opt out of union dues. The House Workforce and Education Committee split along party lines Tuesday over whether public employee unions' political activity reflects the interests of the workers they represent. Republicans, including Georgia's Rick Allen, and a National Right to Work Committee official cited figures showing unions spent nearly $2 billion on political activity in recent elections, more than 90% of it benefiting Democrats, and pointed to union-led lawsuits against the administration and demands unrelated to wages or working conditions. Democrats, including Virginia's Bobby Scott and Georgia's Lucy McBath, defended unions as effective advocates for higher wages, safer workplaces, and worker pensions. Freedom Foundation CEO Aaron discusses the organization's door-to-door campaign in Michigan informing public employees, including home care workers, of their right to opt out of union membership and stop paying dues, which average about $1,100 a year nationally. He describes obstacles workers face when trying to leave, including forged signatures on membership cards, narrow and inconsistently disclosed opt-out windows, and cases where employees were allegedly pressured into signing union cards. He also addresses new laws in New York and Oregon that expose the Freedom Foundation to legal action for encouraging workers to leave their unions, and pending Ninth Circuit cases over whether public employees can opt out of union representation entirely.