Union Members Right to Know Act would protect union-worker rights and promote transparency

Three and a half decades after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Communications Workers of America v. Beck, the rights afforded by that decision are understood by too few workers. That’s because unions have little incentive to inform their members of them. It is fitting and proper therefore that Congress step in to ensure that workers are fully informed of all their rights under the law.

The Union Members Right to Know Act would guarantee that all workers represented by a union know that they can demand that their dues be used only for collective bargaining purposes or other services essential to unions’ ability to function and generally keep the lights on. It allows workers to prevent their hard-earned dollars being diverted to pay for political activities that they do not support. The legislation would therefore merely codify into law what the Supreme Court has already ruled.

This is separate from right to work laws, which exist in only 27 states. All workers, regardless of where they live, have Beck rights and Congress should ensure that they know this. Unions should, ideally, exist to serve their members, not vice-versa. It should not be a burden on a union to comply with Beck and support their own members’ rights. For these reasons, it would be wise for Congress to pass this legislation.