Labor’s Next Trick

Unions, dissatisfied with the huge political advantages they already enjoy under the city’s campaign-finance laws, want yet another break — and they want it written into the City Charter, no less. What nerve.

At hearings by Mayor de Blasio’s Charter Revision Commission, the powerful building-trades union, 32BJ SEIU, is calling for a carve-out to let labor groups work with political campaigns and still spend as much as they want in targeting their own members.

Under current law, donations to candidates are capped. Groups can independently spend unlimited amounts, as long as they don’t “coordinate” with the candidates or their campaigns.

The plan 32BJ wants on the ballot this November would lift conditions for internal union campaigning. Yet other groups, like corporations, would apparently get no such advantage.

This, when the campaign-finance system already gives unions a huge advantage. A law the City Council passed in 2005, lets labor, and only labor, side-step donation limits — by funneling contributions through different union locals and bank accounts. That has given unions’ favored candidates a marked financial edge — and handed labor added power over electeds.

No wonder overly fat municipal pay packages drive taxes through the roof. No wonder schools are so dysfunctional and crazy work rules slow subway and other repairs . . .

The just reform would be to rein in labor’s unfair, unhealthy power. Alas, de Blasio is as pro-union as they come, and he got to name all 13 commissioners — including 32BJ’s secretary-treasurer. Then again, City Councilman Bill de Blasio sponsored that 2005 law.

So don’t be surprised if the union’s ask becomes a ballot question. In that case, it’ll be up to voters to protect themselves.