Subsidizing union dues with taxpayer dollars would be a naked attempt to appease Union bosses in face of failed attempts to move flawed PRO Act
Q2 2021 hedge fund letters, conferences and more
New Budget Plan Will Include Tax Deductions For Union Dues
Washington, D.C. – Congressional and business leaders responded to reports that the Senate Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan will include tax deductions for union dues, calling it a government handout for “Big Labor bosses” and a thinly veiled attempt to circumvent the regular legislative process in order to boost union membership and line the pockets of Big Labor – all at the expense of taxpayers.
Kristen Swearingen, chair of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW), composed of more than 600 major business organizations, said the move is an attempted end around failed attempts to pass the PRO Act.
“Requiring tax payers to subsidize union dues as part of the Democratic Senate budget plan favors unions and their political allies over workers and small businesses. Congress should focus on policies that support all working Americans, including those that increase individual deductions related to job training, rather than pushing tax breaks for unions that support and fund Democratic politicians and causes,” said Swearingen.
“Rewriting our nation’s tax code solely to benefit Big Labor bosses will not help businesses and workers across the country get back on their feet after the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” added Swearingen.
Some members of Congress also took to Twitter to denounce the move:
Representative Rick Allen: “Democrats are trying to use their sham “budget” deal to enact PRO Act policies. The federal government should not subsidize union membership!”
Representative Tim Walberg: “After seeing UAW leaders get recently sentenced for corruption, now Senate D’s reward labor w/ tax breaks for union dues? C’mon. This is the equivalent of tax dollars being funneled to Big Labor to fund their political activities.”
About The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) represents more than 600 major business organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Small Business Association, National Restaurant Association, National Association of Home Builders, Retail Industry Leaders Association, National Grocers Association, International Franchise Association, National Association of Manufacturers, International Council of Shopping Centers and American Trucking Association.
CDW is a broad-based coalition of hundreds of organizations representing hundreds of thousands of employers and millions of employees in various industries across the country concerned with a long-standing effort by some in the labor movement to make radical changes to the National Labor Relations Act without regard to the severely negative impact they would have on employees, employers, and the economy. CDW was originally formed in 2005 in opposition to the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) – a bill similar to the PRO Act – that would have stripped employees of the right to secret ballots in union representation elections and allowed arbitrators to set contract terms regardless of the consequence to workers or businesses.
