Election results illustrate why unions should remain non-partisan

The election is over and the post-election analysis has begun. Part of that includes a review of who spent what and where — from parties to special interest groups, including unions.

According to initial estimates, unions spent close to $2.5 million to persuade Canadians to vote against the Conservatives. Some unions supported the Liberals while others rooted for the NDP. Unifor alone spent $1.2 million of its members’ dues. And those numbers only account for external spending — not the amount that these unions spent on staff time trying to persuade their members one way or the other.

It’s no secret that unions are some of the top spenders during elections, but there are three good reasons why unions would do well to stop their partisan political ways.

First, unions should respect the diversity of political opinions that exist among their members. This election campaign featured many issues that fell outside of the workplace, issues where union members will have different opinions.

According to an Ipsos poll (Sept. 11-13), the top four issues this election were health care (35 per cent), affordability (27 per cent), climate change (25 per cent) and the economy (24 per cent). Internal polling done by some unions indicates that members’ voting intentions align closely with general polls across the country.

Second, workers join a union and pay dues for effective representation, both individually to protect against arbitrary treatment and collectively at the bargaining table to negotiate for their interests.

Their hard-earned dues should not be funnelled to support a party that they may or may not favour but, instead, should be used to represent their direct interests in the workplace.

Third, by choosing to be non-partisan, unions free themselves from the obligation to follow a single political ideology, platform or public-policy agenda.

As a result, they can work freely with the government of the day and politicians from all parties to advocate effectively for legislation that matters to their members and to all workers.

They can support bills put forward by private members and by the government alike. Rather than being agents perpetuating the needless animosity that underpins so much of our political discourse these days, they can, instead, be agents that bring politicians from all sides together to support effective public policy.

Being non-partisan doesn’t mean unions should stay out of politics. On the contrary, unions can — and should — be politically active.

They can work to advance their members’ and workers’ interests in a nonpartisan way by appealing to all parties and governments on many issues,

It’s time for union leaders to recognize the diversity of opinion among their members

whether trade, changes to labour laws, health and safety standards, economic growth and development or others.

It’s time for union leaders to recognize the diversity of opinion among their members and respect their right to contribute to and to vote for the political party and candidate of their choice.

On Oct. 21, many union members supported a different party than the one chosen by their union leadership.

That’s something union leaders should think about seriously before spending their members’ hard-earned dues to play political favourites.