Well, duh.
I support appropriate transparency measures, as long as they apply to everyone equally.
Please note that Williamson County Representatives Larry Gonzales and Tony Dale both voted yes on an amendment to remove the union exemption. Unfortunately, the amendment failed, and the bill still gives unions a free pass.
SB 346 was sent to the Governor yesterday, but he has not yet signed it. There are rumors of a veto, but we shall see.
Original Column:
Contrary to popular belief, labor union power is on the rise
in Texas. Few Texans realize that our
"right to work" status merely prohibits compulsory union
membership. Not only do we have a wide variety of private and public
sector unions in Texas, union membership in the state increased by 65,000 members last year. It is no secret that the Democrat strategy to 'turn
Texas Blue' is heavily reliant on burgeoning union power.
Now it seems that the Texas Legislature is poised to pass legislation that would exempt labor unions from new political disclosure rules. Recently the Senate approved a bill expanding the definition of a 'political committee' and requiring more activists to report contributions used for political purposes. (Senate Bill 346) The vagueness of the proposed law is leaving many political ethics lawyers scratching their heads about who will be covered. But one thing is certain; the proposed law specifically exempts labor unions.
Now it seems that the Texas Legislature is poised to pass legislation that would exempt labor unions from new political disclosure rules. Recently the Senate approved a bill expanding the definition of a 'political committee' and requiring more activists to report contributions used for political purposes. (Senate Bill 346) The vagueness of the proposed law is leaving many political ethics lawyers scratching their heads about who will be covered. But one thing is certain; the proposed law specifically exempts labor unions.
If this political disclosure law is passed as written, Texas
will be joining a slew of ‘blue’ states that exempt labor unions from rules
that apply to Joe Citizen.
Last year the U.S. Chamber of Commerce published a study
entitled “Sabotage, Stalking & Stealth Exemptions: Special State Laws for Labor Unions.” The report describes little noticed state
laws that exclude unions from prosecution for “conduct that would otherwise be
considered criminal activity.” While many of the union exemptions apply to what
we might consider ‘white collar crime,’ others involve more serious and
physically violent behavior.
For example, while every state in the nation prohibits stalking,
Pennsylvania’s prohibitions specifically exclude those involved in a labor
dispute. Other strong labor states
(California, Nevada, Illinois, etc.,) also exempt unions from stalking
measures. These union exemptions are unfortunate considering the history of
violent tactics often employed by union activists. The U.S. Chamber report includes the story of
a non-union shop owner who had rocks thrown through his store windows, his tires
slashed, and was shot in the arm, but Ohio labor unions defended these
“monitoring” tactics as perfectly legal.
Likewise, California’s trespassing laws, designed to protect
individuals and property, exclude “labor union activities.” Such laws have permitted union members not
only to picket, but to actively harass and intimidate customers of non-union
businesses, business owners, and their respective families. California also permits union activists to
“willfully (block) the free movement of another person” in a public transit
system facility or vehicle.
Other state laws around the nation exclude unions from
prosecution for sabotage and threats of bodily injury, but many of the
non-violent exclusions are equally as troubling. For example, in some states labor activists
have been permitted to unionize anyone who accepts state funds for child
care. In Michigan, parents who accepted
Medicaid to care for their own disabled child in their own home have been
forcibly enrolled in and forced to pay dues to the SEIU.
Texas already has a few laws that give advantage to
organized labor, such as those governing formation of public sector
unions. The proposed political
disclosure bill requires transparency for everyone except those who funnel
campaign funds through organized labor.
And contrary to what supporters of the exemption have claimed, labor
unions are not required to disclose contributions from non-members, even for
political activity.
With its union exemption measure, the proposed disclosure
law as written should be unacceptable to Texans who would like to keep this a
“right to work” state. Giving unions
even the slightest advantage increases their political power and does not bode
well for the future of the Lone Star State.
