Reso 2012-108 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

IN THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LEANDRO RESOLUTION NO. 2012-108 RESOLUTION OPPOSING PROPOSITION 32 ON THE NOVEMBER 2012 BALLOT WHEREAS, thousands of San Leandrans and 2.5 million workers throughout California are represented by a labor union, and San Leandro is the home to several union training facilities and administrative offices; and WHEREAS, unions represent employees in the collective bargaining process, by which they negotiate terms and conditions of employment with employers; and WHEREAS, unions pay for their activities with money raised from dues charged to union members. In many cases, employers automatically deduct these dues and fees from their employees' paychecks and transfer the money to the unions; and WHEREAS, many unions use some of the funds that they receive from payroll deductions to support activities not directly related to the collective bargaining process. These expenditures may include contributions to candidates seeking public office as well as spending to communicate political views to union members; and WHEREAS, Proposition 32, the "Political Contributions by Payroll Deduction, Contributions to Candidates, Initiative Statute," prohibits unions from using payroll- deducted funds for political purposes and applies the same prohibition to corporations; and WHEREAS, other than unions, very few organizations use payroll deductions to finance political spending in California; and WHEREAS, Proposition 32 also prohibits unions and corporations from contributing to candidates and candidate- controlled committees. However, current law does not limit the amount of money that individuals, groups, and businesses may spend in political campaigns through independent expenditure committees. Proposition 32 places no restriction on donations from sources other than payroll deductions to independent expenditure committees; and WHEREAS, the California Labor Federation states that Proposition 32 "would severely restrict union members in both the public and private sector from having a voice in our political process;" and WHEREAS, non - partisan groups like the California League of Women Voters, California Common Cause, and Public Citizen have urged voters to reject Proposition 32; and WHEREAS, Public Citizen states that Proposition 32 is "a partisan attack against organized labor," observing that "corporations do not take deductions from paychecks to finance their political activity. Instead, corporations dip directly into the corporate till for their political