Freedom Foundation Tries Desperately To Break Workplace Democracy in Artesia

Tom McCabe, Freedom Foundation President
 

Artesia, California - Sitting in front of Artesia City Hall, a college student in his 20s passes out flyers suggesting that city employees not pay their union dues. However, a brief conversation with the union’s president revealed that the  student volunteer had been lied to.

When a union member asked what he was doing, the student  said that the Freedom Foundation had convinced him that unions are unfairly using member money to finance political campaigns, and that the best way to counter that was for union members to opt out of their union dues.

The Freedom Foundation is an organization funded by conservative billionaires with the intent of weakening worker resolve, and creating a cheap and underpaid workforce.

Artesia union members were kind to the gentleman, but notified AFSCME Local 1520 President Andrew Perry that someone was passing the information out.

"I spoke to the guy for about five minutes," said Perry, "and what we both discovered in that brief conversation was that the Freedom Foundation was essentially lying to their own volunteers. To him, he thought he was helping workers save money and to get union money out of politics. What he didn't know was that the portion of money that goes to politics is completely optional, and that membership dues pays for the administrative and legal side of running a union."

Perry advised anyone else who encounters someone passing out similar literature to have compassion, and have a regular conversation with these individuals. "At the end of the day, they're being misled, and a real human connection and a reasonable conversation is all that is needed to stop them. Knowledge is power," said Perry.

Regular union dues pay for the administrative and legal side of running a union. For example, if an employee is harassed by a manager (or a City Manager), that employee can speak to his union, and the union can do something about it. Dues also goes towards a union rep, who helps in bargaining contracts and filing grievances.

With the assistance of Artesia's union rep, Joan Heithoff, Artesia 1520 has helped employees who were being paid under minimum wage, who have been harassed by their supervisors, or were not paid for work they did. And of course, the union successfully ousted an abusive City Manager.

The little bit that goes towards political funding is purely voluntary on the part of the member.  

"For instance, I donate $25 a month towards the AFSCME People PAC," said Perry. "But here in Artesia, our role in helping out with City Council elections is voluntary. Those campaign commercials we created were created by the union, and didn't use any member money. And of course, walking the streets and knocking on doors is completely voluntary."

For Artesia employees, their union is more like a family. "We've proven many a times that we are one for all, and all for one. And that's what the union is all about. I call it workplace democracy; we employees have a say and we have a seat at the bargaining table," said Perry.

Location: Artesia, CA, USA

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