Staff Reports
The Manhattan Institute’s City Journal just dropped a report that should make every California taxpayer sit up. In short: ten of the state’s biggest public‑sector unions pulled in more than $1 billion in dues and fees in the year ending 2024. That’s not charity. That’s political power baked into the payroll—and it’s now front and center because one union, SEIU‑United Healthcare Workers West, is pushing a billionaire‑tax ballot measure that could funnel billions into programs the union can organize around.
The numbers are big and the logic is simple
City Journal’s tally finds more than 1 million members, more than 1,500 union employees and officers, and at least $29 million in political and lobbying spending from those ten unions in 2024. Payroll‑deducted dues and steady public paychecks mean these groups enjoy a revenue stream businesses only dream about. When you control that kind of money and manpower, you don’t just bargain—you shape policy.
The billionaire tax isn’t just a tax — it’s an organizing play
SEIU‑UHW, led by President Dave Regan, is the main sponsor of the billionaire‑tax initiative. The campaign says the money will shore up Medi‑Cal and other health programs. Fine — except those programs are also the union’s prime recruiting ground. Local reporting has even raised questions about whether the initiative was used as leverage in bargaining with health providers. In plain terms: ask for a tax to fund an industry where you want more members. That’s politics and growth wrapped into one neat package.
Why this matters to voters and taxpayers
City Journal points out that these unions represent a chunk of California voters — a bloc that can move elections and shape party priorities. Yet many people still think unions are just “protecting workers.” The truth is messier. Public‑sector unions can push for more spending, get that spending approved, then claim credit for better services while quietly building the next round of power and dues. It’s a self‑funding political machine, and taxpayers foot the bill.
What to demand next
Voters deserve transparency. Review the filings City Journal relied on: campaign and lobbying reports, federal union disclosures, and the unions’ own tax returns. Ask union leaders to explain how campaign spending, lobbying dollars, and bargaining tactics fit together. Watch the ballot campaign closely and ask: who benefits if this tax passes, and why does the union get to write the rules for its own recruiting grounds?
In the end, this isn’t about hating unions. It’s about recognizing when a political force has the incentives to grow itself at public expense. California already wrestles with high taxes and stretched services. Voters should treat a billion‑dollar union machine with the skepticism they’d give any concentrated power—because money and influence do not become virtuous just because they come with a feel‑good slogan about “protecting workers.” Demand answers, demand audits, and demand that public policy serve the public first—not the unions that profit from it.
