State workers should fight 'forced unionism'

Sunday, April 24, 2005

I am a non-union state employee and will remain so.

In November 2004, Mainers voted on a property tax cap resolution. The Maine State Employees Union advocated that members vote against the tax cap, which was defeated. That hurt homeowners who were state employees as well as homeowners who were not state employees.

When I challenged union representative John Graham on that issue, he said if it had passed, there would not have been enough money for our raises. I would gladly give up the raise to avoid forced unionism.

The evil of forced unionism outweighs any good that I might receive for the fees taken from me by coercion. The union demanded exclusive representation and then used it as an excuse to force employees to pay dues or fees for representation they did not want. There is no law preventing unions from bargaining for members only.

I urge all state employees who are non-union at this time to do as I did and tear up the payroll deduction form sent out by the union. I ask all Maine taxpayers to support the National Right to Work Act currently before the U.S. House and Senate. It would repeal federal labor-law provisions under which workers may be terminated unless they pay dues or fees to unions.

With the passage of the current state budget, the union has been given the right to dip into the pockets of state employees; and as a result, they also dip into the pockets of the taxpayers.

When unions control public employees with the approval of the government, the result is bigger government and higher taxes.

Maine already has one of the highest tax rates in the United States. Let's not make it worse. Write to your representatives today.

Margaret Rudolf

Madison