Just thinking about this pragmatically, imagine how large the CTA is and then imagine the infrastructure needed to contact and catalogue responses from all those members. It’s ridiculous to expect the union to live up to that obligation. and no other organization has to justify contributed spending in that fashion.

Unions already justify their political stance to the members in board meetings, union publications, and barganing. If it’s justification you want, then it’s already there. If it’s a unified ideology, that won’t happen with any sizable group. There are always going to be things that unions do that members disagree with. But instead of nitpicking at such issues, a glance at the larger picture is in order. The way the CTA spends every red cent of yours does not have to coincide with your political opinions. That spending does, however, need to have your best interest in mind. Given that union representatives have more information about issues than members, in much the same way that governmental representatives have more information about issues than citizens, a bit of faith in the union is necessary. Lack that faith? Opt out.

I actually volunteered an extra some to my union for political activities. Nothing in life is free and of course, politics is one of the most important things that takes place in America. We are a democratic nation, so we claim, and voting is just what that means. In order to get votes, you have to get attention. That is real tough if you havent got money in which to get the attention you want and usually deserve.

I just hope that there are many more people who shed their naive viewpoints… I know they are very intelligent people if they just get over their hard feelings…Unions must absolutely be able to engage in politics… because we all know that the Corporations of America (and elsewhere?) are not looking out for the “worker bees” of our nation. Without organized labor, no one would be….not even our government.
Read it and weep, but see the truth before it is too late.