LttE - Give public employees the choice they lack

Submitted to the OC Register on 6/24/2005:

CSEA president J.J. Jelincic attempts to mislead the public with his nonsensical attacks on the Paycheck Protection initiative. First, he wishes that companies require permission from shareholders before contributing to a political campaign. What he misses is that shareholders’ support of companies is voluntary, and they can voice their political opinions by withdrawing their support. Members of public employee unions, from whom dues are compulsorily taken, lack that choice, as do the taxpayers whose taxes fund those dues.

Second, by charging that this initiative will “stifle the collective voice of public employees”, he unsurprisingly clouds the distinction between union bosses who control the purse strings and the regular employees who currently have no choice in whether to pay dues or where those dues go. Did he miss Thursday’s letter from state worker Bill Glasgow who would rather not belong to the union? Clearly, and contrary to Mr. Jelincic’s dishonest assertions, the Paycheck Protection initiative would not stifle Mr. Glasgow’s voice, but give him the voice he currently lacks.