LETTERS: UNION DUES AND POLITICS

To the editor:

Union leadership today is out of touch with its rank and file. The AFL-CIO has announced it will spend $35 million in mandatory union dues this year on political advertising. This money, which is spent without union members' approval, will benefit Democratic candidates. If find this ironic, since over 40 percent of union members vote for Republican candidates.

I an other union members oppose the misuse of union dues by the out-of-touch leadership. Over 60 percent of us oppose the use of union dues for political purposes. Over 50 percent of us did not know our union dues were being used for political purposes. Over 50 percent of us would demand a refund on that part of mandatory union dues which are being used for political purposes if we could.

More and more members of unions are trying turn around this lack of concern for the rank and file. Union dues should be used for union activities and not for political activities that oppose our beliefs. We want our union leadership to settle grievances and work for better working condition and wages, not spend their time as lobbyists and organizers for the Democratic Party.

In my opinion, labor leaders are fooling themselves if they think the Democratic Party can be molded to their needs.

I and many other members of organized labor today feel that we're taken for granted by the Democratic Party. We feel that union leadership has done everything in its power to antagonize the Republican Party. It is now time to stop blind allegiance to the Democratic Party and work honestly and openly with all elected officeholders and political parties. Stop the demagoguery of class warfare. It's not an issue of business versus labor or conservative versus liberal. The issue is representing the union member in the workplace.

DOMINICK FERRANTO JR., Steward

International Union of Operating Engineers

St. Louis