Donald Trump’s presidency is already causing one of America’s most powerful, radical left-wing unions to slash their budget. As WBUR reports:
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) — the second largest union operating in Massachusetts, with some 87,000 members in the state — is slashing its roughly $300 million national operating budget by 30 percent, citing the “threats” posed to organized labor by President-elect Donald Trump.
SEIU’s international president told staff earlier this month that because the far right will control all three branches of the federal government, workers will face serious threats to their ability to join unions.
SEIU local 32BJ is fighting for a $15 minimum wage and to unionize 1,500 workers at Logan Airport. 32BJ’s Roxana Rivera said it’s still too early to know the local effects of the budget cuts. But she does not expect organizing to diminish.
“SEIU and the locals that are under the umbrella of SEIU that carry out the organizing plans, from many years ago we’ve made organizing a priority,” Rivera said.
The SEIU spends tens of millions of dollars to support Democratic causes and candidates over the last decade. They’ve opposed efforts to allow union members to avoid devoting their resources to left-wing extremist candidates they don’t support.
Let’s hope these budget cuts are just the beginning.
