Bill Targets Massive Subsidies For Big Labor 

‘No Union Time on the Taxpayer’s Dime’ For Federal Union Bosses

For decades, federal union bosses have been allowed to conduct union business while “on the clock” as government employees, a practice known as “official time,” or “union time.” 

Consequently, federal union bosses have been paid by taxpayers to file “unfair labor practice” charges against the government, often on behalf of unruly (or lazy) bureaucrats, and to lobby Congress over legislation. 

Some union officials spend 100% of their time serving the union’s interests while being paid by federal agencies. 

Union officials chalked up a staggering 2,606,390 hours of official time in 2019, costing taxpayers over $163 million in payroll and other expenses. 

After 2019, data on “official time” ceased being available, because once President Biden was inaugurated he ordered that “official time” hours and costs must no longer be tracked. 

Senate Bill Would Eliminate ‘Official Time’ 

In late July, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the “No Union Time on the Taxpayer’s Dime Act,” (S.4868), a bill to put an end to this corrupt practice in federal agencies. 

The bill amends federal law to state that “any activities performed by an employee relating to the business of a labor organization shall be performed during the time the employee is in a non-duty status.” 

Explaining his support for the bill, Sen. Lee said, “Federal salaries are funded by the taxpayers, who rightfully expect federal employees to work on their assigned duties while on the clock. 

“The ‘No Union Time on the Taxpayer’s Dime Act’ ensures that union-related activities are conducted on personal time and at personal expense.” 

National Right to Work Committee Vice President Greg Mourad praised Mr. Lee for introducing the legislation. 

“Labor unions are private organizations that serve their own interests, not the interests of taxpayers. This bill will end the outrageous payment of tax dollars to union officials pretending to do government service,” said Mr. Mourad. 

Along with the federal government, many states and localities allow union officials to engage in union business while being paid by taxpayers. 

“Big Labor mayors and city council members are more than happy to have the government give money to union officials, because those same union officials are donating to their re-election campaigns,” explained Mr. Mourad. 

Phoenix ‘Union Time’ Scheme Struck Down by Arizona Supreme Court 

“‘Union time’ is essentially a ‘gift’ given by politicians to the union officials who support them — a gift paid for by taxpayers who get no discernable benefit out of the exchange,” added Mr. Mourad. 

For union officials in Phoenix, Ariz., this dynamic created a problem. Arizona’s state constitution contains a “gift clause,” which bars local governments from handing money to private organizations unless there is a demonstrable public benefit. 

Arizona’s Supreme Court recently analyzed a “release time” agreement between the City of Phoenix and bosses of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union, and found that taxpayers manifestly did not benefit from the roughly $499,000 in salaries the city has been paying to union officials each year. Therefore, the payments are unconstitutional. 

As the unanimous opinion of the court put it “the City costs are substantial, but the benefits are so negligible as to render them largely illusory. The Union receives four full-time employees, who are released from their public duties but paid as if they were performing public work, for the union to direct as it sees fit . . . .” 

Though the citizens of Phoenix were paying the salaries of four government union officials, city leaders could not prove citizens were getting any real benefit from the arrangement. 

Committee Vows to Help Sponsor Build Support For ‘Union Time’ Ban 

“Indeed, the costs and benefits here are so one-sided that it is difficult to envision how such expansive release time provisions” could ever survive, the court concluded. 

“The same anti-Right to Work politicians who support giving union officials the power to siphon dues money out of workers’ paychecks without their permission are using ‘union time’ to divert taxpayer money into union bosses’ coffers,” said Mr. Mourad 

“Committee staff and members will do all we feasibly can to help Mike Lee build support for S.4868, even as we continue to help the Senate and House sponsors of the National Right to Work Act add cosponsors for their measures.”

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