Biden Keeps Costs of Union Support to Taxpayers Under Wraps

Federal Funds: Paying for Union Work, ⁤Not Government Jobs

Did you know that the federal government shells out over $100 million every⁢ year ‍to employees who aren’t actually doing their federal jobs? Instead,‍ they are doing something quite ‍different—working full-time for unions that represent government workers. Essentially, we,⁢ the ⁤taxpayers, are inadvertently financing the negotiating process from⁣ both ends ⁢of the table.

For years, these expenditures ⁤have been monitored and reported by our government. However, under the current administration, visibility into ⁣these numbers has been obscured.

The Official Time Policy: A Taxpayer​ Concern

Under a policy termed “official time,”⁣ we find an ‌alarming trend: numerous federal employees are fully engaged in union labor while they remain on the federal payroll. ⁤This costly practice not only hits taxpayers’ wallets hard, but it also inflates union power, channeling subsidies into their activities—regardless‌ of⁣ whether their own members willingly pay dues.

That’s not⁣ all. These unions are often at the forefront of contentious ​issues, such as fighting against the termination of employees charged with misconduct and lobbying for policies that prioritize employee benefits over taxpayer implications, like resisting office work’s resumption.

Where’s the Transparency?

The Office​ of Personnel Management (OPM) used to keep a detailed record of how​ this program played out,⁢ evident even during the Obama administration. In 2019, for instance, the ⁣government paid for an astonishing 2.6 million⁤ hours of union business, the equivalent of nearly three ⁤centuries of work time.

The peculiar thing is, since then, the ‌trail has gone cold. Questions regarding the continuity of data collection, the absence of recent‌ reports, and the ability to review⁣ them—even off the record—have been met with radio silence.

A ⁢spokesperson stated, “Previous reports on official time are not currently available because OPM is reorganizing our website to improve navigation and customer experience.”

Despite this explanation,‌ the promised ​updates have yet to materialize, raising suspicions about the⁢ motivations behind this lack of transparency.

This perceived opacity coincides with the very month OPM introduced ‌a “Worker Empowerment”⁣ platform, celebrating the administration’s support for union-centric policies and collective bargaining.

A report from⁢ the Freedom Foundation critically addresses this shift, ⁣emphasizing that there’s a fine line‍ between supporting an agenda and compromising public data access.

In light‌ of these concerns, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has stepped up, introducing ​a bill during Sunshine‌ Week—a national initiative promoting open government—that seeks to restore transparent official time reporting.

Ernst‌ declared, “I’m‍ dragging shady spending into the light and ‌exposing abuse of our dollars. Public service should always be about benefiting taxpayers, not bureaucrats.”

Supporting her remarks, limited data from the Small Business Administration indicates a worrying increase in official time hours—hinting at ​potentially record-high costs government-wide.

To put this into perspective,⁣ a 2014 investigation by the Washington Examiner identified over 500 employees who performed little to ‍no work in their actual government‍ roles, all due to “official time.” This expensive reality includes numerous full-time union representatives across various departments, including Veterans Affairs and the IRS.

Former Senator Tom Coburn resonated the sentiments of many when he voiced, “I just don’t think the federal taxpayers⁢ ought to ⁤be paying for that… That’s what union dues are⁢ for.”

It’s a call to⁤ awareness—and action—for us as taxpayers. Where should our hard-earned money be going, and how can we ensure that public service ⁤maintains ⁣its integrity? The answer lies in the transparency we demand and uphold.

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