30
Cato Institut e Policy Analysis No. 174: The Permissibl e Uses of Force d Union Dues: From  Hanson to Beck July 24, 1992 Charles W. Baird Charles W. Baird is a professor of economics and director of the Smith Center for Private Enterprise Studies, California State University at Hayward. Executive Summary On April 13, 1992, in what many consider to be nothing more than an act of political opportunism, President Bush issued Executive Order 12800, which requires all federal contractors to inform their employees of their "  Beck rights." The order stems from a 1988 U.S. Supreme Court opinion, Commun icati ons Workers of America v. Beck, in which the Court declar ed that employees force d to pay union dues under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) do not have to contribute to a union's partisan political activities. The Communications Workers of America had been using as much as 79 percent of Harry Beck's dues for such activities, almost all in support of Democratic party candidates. In his April 13 public comments announcing the executive order, the president also announced that he had instructed Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin to propose changes in the financial disclosure forms that unions must file under the 1959 Landrum-Griffin Act. The changes she has since published in the Federal Register for public discussion will, if they are adopted, require unions to disclose their expenditures by category, which will better enable the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relati ons Board (NLRB), employees, and employe rs to enfor ce  Beck rights. The president also publi cly urged the NLRB to begin to do a better job of enforcing worker s'  Beck rights. Those who charge the president with political opportunism have a point. After all, the  Beck decisi on was handed down on June 29, 1988. In the almost four years between then and April 13, 1992, President Bush did almost nothing to enforce the decision. As we will see below, there were two failed attempts in Congress to codify  Beck rights, but the presi dent did little to help in the effort . Those right s simply did not seem to be import ant to him. But this is an election year, and labor unions have a long history of using forced dues to support Democratic presidential and congressional candidates. President Bush has publicly stated that he will do anything it takes to get reelected. He apparently thinks that enforcing Beck is one of those things . While I applaud his Apr il 13 actions and wish he had done more, his timing suggests that he is more concerned with his own reelection than with workers' rights. Bill Clinton, governor of Arkansas and the probable 1992 Democratic presidential nominee, responded to President Bush's announcements by calling Beck a "fair decision." He too noted, however, that the decision was four years old and added, "Pres ident Bush could have signed this order at any time since the decis ion was handed down. The fact that he waited until now is clear evidence that President Bush is playing politics with labor instead of providing real leadership for our workers." Lane Kirkland, president of the AFL-CIO, was not happy about President Bush's April 13 announcements. "By this obsequious pandering to the ultra-right special inter ests of his party, the preside nt has given hypocris y a bad name,"

The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 1/30

Page 2: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 2/30

Page 3: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 3/30

Page 4: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 4/30

Page 5: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 5/30

Page 6: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 6/30

Page 7: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 7/30

Page 8: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 8/30

Page 9: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 9/30

Page 10: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 10/30

Page 11: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 11/30

Page 12: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 12/30

Page 13: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 13/30

Page 14: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 14/30

Page 15: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 15/30

Page 16: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 16/30

Page 17: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 17/30

Page 18: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 18/30

Page 19: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 19/30

Page 20: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 20/30

Page 21: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 21/30

Page 22: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 22/30

Page 23: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 23/30

Page 24: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 24/30

Page 25: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 25/30

Page 26: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 26/30

Page 27: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 27/30

Page 28: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 28/30

Page 29: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 29/30

Page 30: The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

8/9/2019 The Permissible Uses of Forced Union Dues: From Hanson to Beck, Cato Policy Analysis

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-permissible-uses-of-forced-union-dues-from-emhansonem 30/30