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Is a Big Labor Implosion Over Political Contributions Threatening the SEIU’s Power?

CPPEA Informs SEIU Members About Non Germane Objectors Option In California, millions of dollars are collected by the union each year (called dues). Some of these monies make their way into politicians’ coffers or are used for purely political purposes. But, what happens if a union member opposes the candidates or the political purposes the monies — dues taken from their hard-earned pay — are being used to support?

That question is at the root cause of some potentially explosive issues emerging among the state’s union members. For the past few months, news outlets have reported on these internal issues. The situation has worsened as the anti-SEIU group, the California Professional Public Employees Association (CPPEA) has been purportedly gaining ground.

The CPPEA is currently working to gain signatures that would end SEIU memberships. By becoming “non-germane objectors” (protected by the SEIU, but not forced to pay dues toward unwanted political activity) members would be able to keep more money in their pockets.

According to CBS Sacramento, 28,000 members took advantage of this previously little-known state clause last year. Of course, the SEUI isn’t happy. A local chapter sent the following message to CBS:

“We see potential for great abuse and danger for individuals who sign these documents and have taken the steps to alert our members of the potential abuse. CPPEA has no standing with the state and is recruiting state employees based on a pure falsehood. People should view representation claims by CPPEA with the same skepticism as the Nigerian money schemes we receive in our email box each month.”

While the SEIU claims that this group is as dangerous as a troop of foreigners attempting to scam Americans’ money, the fact that 28,000 have already flocked to it (surely more, considering that this year isn’t included in that number) is astounding. On its site, the CPPEA claims that it was founded by “reform-minded members of the SEIU.” These individuals were concerned with the following:

  • Mismanagement of union resources
  • Lack of Transparency and Accountability
  • Inadequate and ineffective Representation of it’s members

Back in June, the SEIU Local 1000 also instilled identity theft fears in members, writing the following on its web site:

SEIU Members are being asked to provide confidential information, such as the last four digits of a Social Security number, to a group calling itself CPPEA. This group claims the confidential information will eventually be turned over to SEIU. Please be aware that CPPEA is not, in any way, associated with SEIU Local 1000, and there are no plans to obtain such information from this group.

CPPEA Informs SEIU Members About Non Germane Objectors Option

CPPEA CEO Ken Hamidi

Moreover, filling out the form and turning it over to a third-party may place you at risk of identity theft.

Really, what the SEIU is probably most frustrated about is the damage that CPPEA will do to its political power. With the CPPEA informing SEIU members of their rights to take advantage of state law and reduce their dues, the union will likely lose its ability to influence politicians, elections and the like — or it will be, at the least, weakened.

SEIU, however, doesn’t seem to be alone in using this tactic. On Thursday, The Blaze covered accusations that Californians Against Identity Theft is actually a union-front organization that was created to scare voters into not supporting an anti-union ballot initiative.

Similarly, though, CPPEA isn’t alone in addressing these issues. In response to a related, proposed measure that may make its way onto the state’s 2012 ballot, the SEIU is launching a major counter campaign. Torey Van Oot of the Sacramento Bee writes:

The California Service Employees International Union is urging members to call a hotline to deploy “Think Before You Ink” teams to talk voters out of signing a measure that would restrict their ability to automatically deduct dues from members’ paychecks for political purposes.

The SEIU in California has launched an online portal through which supporters can sign a petition to “protect” working families. The labor union doesn’t seem interested in denying its urge to be present and active in the political arena:

Working people’s ability to protect our schools, communities, healthcare, and environment will be greatly reduced by silencing our unions.

Meanwhile, corporations would be allowed to continue to use their record profits to spend as much as they want to elect politicians. Corporations already outspend unions 15-1; now they want complete control of the political system.

Regardless of whether the public has an opportunity to vote on political contributions coming out of member pay, there are thousands of people who have expressed dissatisfaction with the SEIU’s financial workings. Even if no vote is held, it is likely that members will continue to become union-despised “non-germane objectors.”

Comments (119)

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  • Cold War Vet
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:35pm

    Communist thug infighting. How amusing…
    The SEIU Politburo coming unraveled, is it? If they’d all die, the world would be a better place for humans!

    2012 cometh
    http://neuezeitgeist.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/129/

    Report Post » Cold War Vet  
    • hechafteth
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:26pm

      Don’t neglect the opinion that the lesser of two evils is indeed, and still, evil.

      Report Post » hechafteth  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:49pm

      I think this is just wonderful. Wouldn’t it be great if they all lost their political power.. I would be so happy.

      Report Post »  
    • getalong
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 8:06pm

      Someone I know is in a union, and he gets democratic/socialist candidate information sent to him from the union during elections. The truth is the union has NO RIGHT to spend union member’s money on any political candidate. I hope the SEIU slowly unraveals as more and more people in unions resist the pressure from their union to be controlled and pressured to vote for a particular party. This is a perfect example of how unions operate. They tout how much they care about their members, but at the same time they send the message to members that they are too stupid to figure out for themselves who they want to vote for so the union will tell them. Unions were great when needed, but with new laws on the books to protect employees from companies – unions are a waste of money. What I don’t get is the millions they spend on campaigns is the same money that is supposed to be going into pension funds. I can‘t understand how more members don’t get this, The union bosses are stealing members money!

      Report Post »  
    • mils
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 9:25pm

      seiu…need to get rid of them.

      only reason most of them are in unions is , they’re too dumb to get a job otherwise and keep it….that is why they just “accept” and never question..as long as they get their who cares…but when the train hits that wall they will suffer the most..hopefully

      Report Post »  
    • getperks
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 10:51pm

      @Mils- I work in a prison and you sound like a lefty tard spitting all that venom. I am a public union member and a conservative working on the right to work legislation. I dont know u enough to say if u are stupid or not. I guess u managed to register to comment here so I am assuming there is something rattling inside your opinionated head. I have been involved in at least 300 critical incidents in my career so far while protecting the public from dangerous criminals. I walk a solo assignment everyday with 88 dangerous criminals. The cops arrest them and I manage them except I dont have a weapon or a partner. A little respect would go a long way towards an actual thank you officer.

      Report Post » getperks  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 2:22am

      “Is a Big-Labor Implosion Over Political Contributions Threatening the SEIU’s Power?”

      This should be our bed-time prayer for the next 15 months. Unions need to be brought back to reality and remember what it was like back when they loved America.

      The Day the Tea Party was Murdered… http://www.AmericasTeaPartyNews.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • gotta light
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 3:55am

      SCREW SEIU
      SCREW ACORN
      SCREW THE AFL-CIO
      SCREW THE TEAMSTERS
      SCREW THE TEACHERS UNIONS

      BEFORE THEY SCREW YOU
      BECAUSE THEY BEEN SCREWING YOU FOR YEARS

      Hey bud gotta light?

      Report Post » gotta light  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 8:11am

      Thanks for that link!

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
  • Patrick in AZ
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:22pm

    California Professional Public Employees Association (CPPEA)
    ————————-
    Is that pronounced, California Pee Pee?

    Report Post » Patrick in AZ  
  • Tankertony
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:21pm

    One of the greatest victories in the coming years for the Tea Party will be how it really exposed the union-democrat slush fund machine to the masses.

    Hey, godless leftist,..is it fair, and equal, and tolerant, and social justicle that the conservative members are forced to contribute to the leftist slush fund?
    Lets be perfect and Fair and give half to each party…it would be so happy and perfect and progressive and cool and right..
    Bye Bye (leftist slushfund democrat) unions. There are needs for certain unions in certain situations, but we see this certain cancer for what it is.
    …hint POWER (over you)

    Report Post » Tankertony  
  • SavingtheRepublic.com
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:19pm

    ^____^____^
    Gotta work system and find ways around these guys. I bet many union members have no clue their dues go to politicians and of course union heads. Wish there was a way to truly expose union heads and the evil ways, maybe that should be James O‘Keefe’s next expose`! Unions are past their time I would love to see an amendment or a law of some kind taking all the good unions have done and make them in stone thus nullifying their need to exist! Just as many workers have been replaced by robots/ machines on the assembly line the time has come to deal the same blow to unions. I rarely hear anything about how they are helping workers anyhow. Instead all I ever hear about is them sticking their nose in political, govt and social affairs or going after a private company. http://SavingtheRepublic.com

    Report Post » SavingtheRepublic.com  
    • Shotgun167
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:13pm

      quote: I bet many union members have no clue their dues go to politicians and of course union heads.

      Union members have no idea where any of the money goes. They are just told that the union has done a lot for them, and they believe it.

      I was in at union shop when I went to work for AT&T in Whitsett, NC in the 90s. Pencil necked guy came up to me while I was working, shoved a green postcard at me and said, “Sign this.”

      I thought, “WTF?”, but said, “What is this?”
      “That’s so the union can take money out of your paycheck,” he said.
      “How much are they going to take?”
      “I don’t know,” he replied, as if I were bothering him.
      I handed it back, and said, “Come back to me when you figure it out.”

      Never heard about it again. He didn’t know, and didn’t care. I thank God that NC is a right to work state.

      Report Post »  
  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:19pm

    This just goes to show what lengths unions go to in order to protect themselves. Raising false fears. I wonder whose playbook that came from. Did the practice come from the Democrats to the Unions or from the Unions to the Democrats.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • Just in time
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:15pm

    I think this a good step forward for unions workers. They get to keep their money and their bargaining rights. That sounds good for them.And whats good for them is good for the country.

    Report Post »  
  • Forced_Union_Worker
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:11pm

    I’m a retired auto worker, and for 34 years the uaw took my dues and spent them on things I never agreed with. My local was very corrupt. The officials voted themselves a trip to a convention in Vegas, and were caught spending union funds on hookers.

    Report Post » Forced_Union_Worker  
    • Mtroom
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:26pm

      My father has similar stories of his days in the UAW….and i believe he too ,was a forced union worker

      Report Post » Mtroom  
    • db321
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 12:22am

      and this behavior shocks you – Let me feel you in on another secrete – don’t try to pet a rattlesnake – they only want to do one thing – Bite!

      Report Post » db321  
  • MBA
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:11pm

    HaHaHaHa. Criminals trying to run a business, go figure. They can’t get the concept of free enterprise.

    Report Post »  
  • jblovesAmerica
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:10pm

    there are always choices.make sure you have one/

    Report Post »  
  • GardenoftheGods
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:08pm

    Amen Brother! Unions ONCE served a purpose; now all they do is take members’ dues & promote COMMUNISM. I know this for a fact because my mother was a Union Organizer with 1199 the organization that gave birth to SEIU. They were ALL Commies, Mom included–I got educated once I entered the job force as an RN and had to pay taxes & dues…My family soon moved to a right to work state & told the union to kiss my butt. I brought home more money, even though my pay rate was lower…In any case, I saw unions from the inside out; and they are NOT Pro-America! Time to get rid of all unions!

    Report Post » GardenoftheGods  
  • Midwest Blonde
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:06pm

    It’s good to see SOMEONE fighting the union thugs

    Report Post » Midwest Blonde  
  • Bowmaster
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:06pm

    To ALL union members…
    There are enough unemployed Americans to replace EVERY one of you crybaby loudmouths without a hiccup.
    Keep pushing and you will find out the hard way.
    You don’t scare us at all.
    There are members in our ranks that would make your worst union thugs look like choir boys!
    We CAN fix stupid….permanently!
    Please do something really outrageous and stupid so we can re-educate you punks.
    Please.

    Report Post » Bowmaster  
    • rumpleforeskin
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:44pm

      Well said Bow. Time for unions to go and cry somewhere else. Andy Stern should go to prison and meet some “friends” in the shower. Screw the unions! it’s not just a slogan anymore!

      Report Post » rumpleforeskin  
    • joef
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 6:45pm

      Word.

      Report Post »  
  • ezeewhiz
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:04pm

    The same as a Nigerian money scheme? Brother I thought I had heard it all but that one beats them all!!!

    Report Post »  
  • timej31
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:03pm

    By 2017 SEIU will be a distant memory.

    Report Post » timej31  
  • bill oswald
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:01pm

    It’s about time union membership demanded where their hard earned money that they pay in dues was going.

    Report Post »  
  • wildwood
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:57pm

    WE WILL NEVER GET THE JOBS BACK IN AMERICA UN TIL THE UNIONS ARE BUSTED UP!!!!!
    They are 99% the cause of our jobs disappearing and turning up over seas!!!

    Report Post »  
    • Shotgun167
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:20pm

      Slow down Wildwood. You can’t blame 99% on Unions. I’m in a right to work state. No union to worry about. I had a business going and wanted to hire a college student. The blockade for me wasn’t the union. It was the brick wall of red-tape that I had to fight through to give the kid my money (no profits yet, so it was MY money). The job was to spend several hours a week to test some software I had written, so there wasn’t anyone going to get cancer from it.

      Unions are bad for starting a business, but God forbid there be a snail darter around.

      Report Post »  
    • SovereignSoul
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 9:31pm

      Get rid of unions! Bring back sweatshop jobs at slave wages! Do it, now!

      Report Post » SovereignSoul  
    • starman70
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 12:04pm

      More like 50% of the blame. The rest of the blame lies with government. Over 20,000 pages of Federal regulations pretaining to businesses, not to mention state regulations. Government tax policies which drive companies overseas. Insurance costs and now Obamacare. The list goes on and on.

      Unions MUST realize the gravy train is over. These outrageous demands from employers and secretive use of their members dues to feather the nests of the union leadership must be exposed and stopped. Union leaders have got to face the fact that their membership is facing foreign competition where wages can amount to literally pennies a day. I certainly don’t endorse the slavelike wages paid in foreign countries but wage demand consessions by the unions have to be severely modified if we are ever to be competive in the world marketplace again.

      Personally, I had rather work for a lower wage than to pay union dues and enrich the union leadership and provide them with expensive trips to “Conferences” at posh resorts while they “Discuss” union business and plot with and promote government leadership who espouse Communism.

      Report Post »  
  • monkeybean
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:54pm

    Its time we shut down this obama campaigning machine. As Mrs Obammma would say, “ for the first time Im proud of America”

    Report Post » monkeybean  
  • recovering new yorker
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:54pm

    Unions CAN be corrupt, you say? This union IS corrupt – ask me, I am a (by force) member of SEIU. They took EXTRA dues from my paycheck from April 2008 through December 2008 specifically for electing Obama – despite my protests over the extra takings! I finally quit. SEIU wrote a goodly amount of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). They are Communistic in all their doings – not all the members are on board with them, but all the union heads are Communists.

    Report Post »  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:01pm

      Bless you for your truth.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • kentuckypatriot
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:26pm

      Well, this is something that you don’t hear every day! A conservative SEIU member. I commend and applaud you for telling us what it’s like on the inside.

      Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 8:05pm

      Add to them the TEAMSTERS.. My son in law worked for them and wouldn’t sign to allow EXTRA money be taken from his check to support OBAMA …. he lost his job..

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 8:47am

      Check this out and share it. I think it‘s the ’plan’ and the goals of the Obama administration in cahoots with all the usual suspects on the far left including SEIU.

      http://web.mit.edu/colab/work/innovation-equity-report.pdf

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • starman70
      Posted on August 6, 2011 at 12:39pm

      I hope you can afford to LEAVE NEW YORK and move to a right to work state. Forced union membership is tantamount to the forced membership in the Communist Party in the old USSR. If you wanted to work, you had to be a card carrying party member.

      It is my sincere hope and desire that every union member in all the “Closed Shop states” will soon realize how they are being screwed, blued and tatooed by their union bosses and will begin to elect politicians who will pass Right to Work Legislation and remove the forced unionization requirements.

      This is America! You have the right to join a union if you so desire but nobody should ever be forced to join a union as a requirement for being hired.

      Report Post »  
  • satotbs
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:53pm

    Guess who wins when unions fight amongst themselves? We all do! Save your money and learn to speak for yourself. Be led or lead. Any working man who is a republican is only one step away from true enlightenment, that is TEA.

    Report Post » satotbs  
  • totallyfedup2
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:51pm

    It should be illegal for any union to spend peoples union dues on any political support

    Report Post » totallyfedup2  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:02pm

      Yeah, I mean, why should people have the right to say what they want or spend their money how they want? That would be like, Freedom, and stuff.

      Yeah…

      No, dude. Just because we disagree with what they spend their money on, doesn’t mean we take away their rights to spend. If we did that, we’d be joining them in their madness.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • loriann12
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:11pm

      People in a union ought be able to opt out of dues when they go to politics that they don’t agree with. I worked at a union facility once, as a Republican, and the plant only hosted Democrat candidates. One tried to hand me her information, I said, “I’m a Republican.” She didn’t even know how to respond. Her look was, what are you doing here? I didn’t like my dues going to Democrats, but i didn’t have the option to opt out. Or even pay half dues.

      Report Post »  
    • INOGAWD
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:15pm

      Your Dues will go to Obamas Billion Dollar Campaign Fund..
      Not My Choice……….NOBAMA-2012

      Report Post » INOGAWD  
    • Shotgun167
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:24pm

      Jaycen, I may be reading it wrong, but it seems that you’re claiming that being force to pay union dues and then having them support a politician that you despise is somehow equivalent to spending your money the way you want. Could you clarify that please?

      Report Post »  
  • vennoye
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:50pm

    People should view representation claims by CPPEA with the same skepticism as the Nigerian money schemes we receive in our email box each month.”

    SEIU is very representative of the Nigerian money schemes…..but with more strong arm tactics!! I hope SEIU union members finally realize how they have been fleeced year after year…..politics instead of pension funding!!

    Report Post » vennoye  
    • mr.goodvibe
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:05pm

      I never got that, no one ever told me I had a Nigerian relative. I also won the international lottery too! Aint seen np money yet.

      Report Post » mr.goodvibe  
  • Whostolemypig
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:49pm

    Just you typical bunch of lefties beginning to eat their young.

    Report Post »  
  • michael48
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:46pm

    SEIU=SKANKS…Helpless and Totally DEPENDENT on the Dem-Wit Comrade Par-ta…dumbest SOBs you’ll EVER SEE…can’t put a sentence together other than in PRISON…MEANINGLESS TARDS…ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • HKS
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:45pm

    Now you listen to big daddy, he knows best. Or you could shove it up his back side. Your choice for now, it he had his way you would have no choice.

    Report Post » HKS  
  • Blackop
    Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:44pm

    Unions can be corrupt, but any working mas who is a republican needs to have his head examined.

    Report Post »  
    • Psychosis
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:52pm

      you have it backwards but you do have a public school education so it is expected

      Report Post » Psychosis  
    • 13th Imam
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 5:54pm

      What is a working mas?
      And anyone who votes DEMOCRAT is a non- thinking piece of excrement.

      Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • Rickfromillinois
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 6:17pm

      If you are a working man you can thank a Republican.

      Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:03pm

      You say that because the dem is looking out for the working man right? how naive you don’t have a clue.
      Most dems are multi millionaires & could give a rats a$$ about you or anyone else.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • Shotgun167
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 7:28pm

      Is that because it is pointless to examine the empty heads of Democrats?

      Really, I’m not Republican (I’m very Libertarian), but that statement was just stupid.

      Report Post »  
    • drago
      Posted on August 5, 2011 at 8:19pm

      @blackop
      I’m supprised you could tear yourself away from your coffee/lunch/beer break to type that……

      Report Post »  
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