I agree that unions and union members have helped our nation resolve issues such as good wages, benefits, workplace safety and product quality.

However, our problem today is the corrupt relationship between union bosses and politicians.  Union funds have become a “piggy bank” for politicians to get re-elected.

The subsequent political payback to the union bosses is unrealistic contract perks for the unions (especially government unions). Once a politician becomes addicted to union campaign funding they are working for the unions forever, rather than taxpayers or voters.

Union members have no say regarding which party or candidate will receive union support and the support always goes to the politician or party that will negotiate the next contract favorably for the union negotiator.

I joined a union when I was discharged from the Army. When we gained a new contract deal, 30 percent went to my paycheck and 70 percent went to our “Health & Welfare” fund. I never saw a penny of those union funds even though I worked in the union for more than four years.

Can anyone really explain why a government worker that receives all the perks and security from a government job can also join a union that contributes tax-exempt funds to the politician of their choice?  Remember, these contracts not only contain pay raises, they also contain direct payments to the unions with our tax dollars. Union funds are also tax exempt because they are classified as non-profit by our politicians.

In our state, politicians and union bosses have been negotiating contracts for years with our tax money. This is like having the fox guard the henhouse from the coyote and we wonder why we never have enough chickens.

Democracies fail when voters and politicians discover they can vote themselves unlimited and unfunded entitlements. The consequences are bankruptcy.

Roy Koval
Kingston