By Olivia Grady

On March 23, 2017, George Leef, the Director of Research at the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, had an article published in Forbes. The article was called “Another Case Showing Why People Shouldn't Be Forced Into Unions.”

In the article, Leef describes the Minnesota project that the Center for Worker Freedom has been helping with. He explains how the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) persuaded Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to sign legislation declaring home healthcare workers government employees, but only for purposes of collective bargaining. These homecare workers take care of disabled family members and receive a small check from Medicaid for this service. The SEIU wanted this legislation to increase its dues.

After the bill was signed, the SEIU managed to get the majority of voters, a small number, to vote for the union, but only 13 percent of the 27,000 workers ended up wanting the union.

However, 24,000 became members without their consent and only learned about their membership by discovering dues being deducted from their paychecks. 3 percent of the paycheck was being sent to the union.

As a result, many of the homecare workers are trying to get the union decertified. Leef mentioned how Kevin Mooney’s Daily Signal article, “Home Caregivers, Alleging Fraud, Push to Decertify Union That Deducts Dues” shows the tricks of the union.

First, he explains that the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation wouldn’t hold an election even though more than 6,000 cards from personal care assistants (PCAs) had been submitted asking for an election, a number that exceeds the number of voters in the original election. In addition, the ballots in the initial election were sent to vacant homes and commercial buildings.

He then explains that the union and Democratic administration are in cahoots because the state is appealing a district court’s ruling that requires the state to give the personal care assistants an updated list of all homecare workers.

Leef believes the PCAs should be able to hold an election that would be fair to decertify the union. He hopes the union will lose. However, his solution for the long run is to get rid of compulsory unionism.

Leef finally suggests making unions follow the rules of other private organizations and become less political.

George Leef is absolutely correct.