State workers deserve a union that will focus on them

In 1877, after repeatedly facing wage cuts and poor working conditions, a man named Samuel Gompers rebuilt the Cigar Makers Union in New York City to stand up to the factory owners who abused their own laborers. Mr. Gompers went on to organize this and many other labor unions into what became the American Federation of Labor in 1881.

It was a great time for labor unions, as workers organized to fight what had become tyrannical working conditions where laborers could be fired without notice, wages could be cut at any time, and benefits that we enjoy today were not even considered. They took their destiny into their own hands, making it their personal responsibility to rectify their poor working conditions.

One hundred and thirty years later, despite all the gains that society has made, Maine state employees are still forced to organize and fight tyranny in the workplace. Ironically, the source of that tyranny now is labor unions, not employers. Workers who never wanted to participate in a union, especially one that is increasingly caught up in its “progressive” agenda to the detriment of representing actual workers, are required to either pay a “service” fee or be fired. This goes against the grain of everything unions worked for historically.

Even Samuel Gompers, the father of American labor, realized this, saying, “The workers of America adhere to voluntary institutions in preference to compulsory systems, which are not only impractical, but a menace to their welfare and their liberty,” and “There may be here and there a worker who for certain reasons unexplainable to us does not join a union … It is his legal right and no one can or dare question his exercise of that legal right.”

Despite these roots in liberty, many modern unions feel compelled to force employees to join, or pay a “service fee” to keep their jobs. Many public employers, fearful of political retribution, go along with it, to the detriment of their workers. Here in Maine, the Baldacci administration is preparing to terminate more than 500 state employees for refusing to pay forced “service fees” to the Maine State Employees Association (MSEA-SEIU Local 1989).

What would MSEA do if the legislature introduced a bill tomorrow to cut state jobs by 500 for cost savings? They would mobilize the troops, lobby the legislators, and start a public relations campaign. Yet, with an action unparalleled in the history of hypocrisy, it was MSEA who actually asked for the terminations, starting in July of 2006. Maine is not unique in this situation; state workers in Washington and New Hampshire were also recently required to “pay or get fired.” As a result, we Maine employees, and those in Washington, are seeking to “decertify,” or fire, our unions. Many New Hampshire employees have already done so.

Why the revolt? “Fair Share” is an important part of this, but not the only reason. Many of us feel that unions such as MSEA no longer represent our beliefs. They continually fail to protect state employees, while spending their considerable financial resources on issues only remotely related to their constituents.

The “progressive” agenda is typically advanced first, often in conflict with the beliefs of many state employees. Working for state employees becomes an afterthought. Some examples include:

. Using union funds to support and run advertisements in favor of social programs such as Dirigo Health and Social Security.

. Turning the MSEA office into a campaign headquarters each November.

. Having an entire department of staff to create more unions of non-state workers.

. Spending union funds on lavish events such as their annual convention at the Samoset Resort, and a $38,000 New Year’s Eve party.

. Sending roughly a quarter of its budget – about $1.8 million – to a national union (SEIU).

Meanwhile, MSEA fails to deliver on many important issues including:

. Meaningful raises that at least match the rate of inflation.

. Preventing a freeze in “merit increases” for thousands of employees.

. Preventing a substantial increase in the health insurance deductible.

. Changing the two-tiered retirement system.

. Fixing the Social Security “offset” – a penalty for state workers who are eligible for both Social Security and a state pension.

As a result, many public employees are forming more traditional unions, ones which reflect the early values of the labor movement. In Maine, a new organization named the Associated Government Employees of Maine was formed in July 2006 by concerned state employees to address these issues. Its core beliefs include:

. Voluntary support.

. No national affiliations.

. No political endorsements.

. Focus is only on state employees.

Numerous state employees have already signed decertification petitions in favor of AGEM, and with the deadline of April 7 right around the corner, the race is on to get them all in. We encourage all state employees who have not done so to visit AGEM’s Web site at www.agemgroup.org and read the information. If you think you would like a choice, fill out the decertification form and put it in the mail by April 7. And make a choice for what you really want in employee representation.

Michael Smith is a senior database analyst for the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Office of Information Technology, and is a founder of the state employee activist group unfairshare.org.