I dont know how to say it any other way that to again refer to the Federal Elections Campaign Act:
Quote:
Corporate and Union Activity
Although corporations and labor organizations may not make contributions or expenditures in connection with federal elections, they may establish PACs. Corporate and labor PACs raise voluntary contributions from a restricted class of individuals and use those funds to support federal candidates and political committees.
http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/f...orporate_Union
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Unions are prohibited by law from using dues to support the PAC.
The law refers to PACs as “separate segregated funds” because money contributed to a PAC is voluntary and kept in a bank account separate from the general union treasury.
You are confusing mandatory dues to a union for general, non-political activities with voluntary contributions to a union PAC. Perhaps your confusing arises from the fact that both the union dues and PAC contributions may be collected as part of one check-off or payroll deduction....but then they must be segregated by law.
afterthought:
If you are suggesting that public employees should not have the right to VOLUNTARILY contribute to the candidate/party of their choice, whether through a union PAC or a direct contribution, because their salaries are paid by taxpayers, I would strenuously disagree.
If a union member would prefer to not support the union PAC and instead, contribute to a different candidate/party, they have that right. I will say it again, PAC contributions by union members are voluntary.
Every worker, public or private, should have the right to participate in the political process by contributing to a candidate/party of their choice.
I'll give you this. One change that did result from the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case last year (a terrible decision IMO) is that unions (and corporations) can now use general funds for political advertising, but still cannot use those general funds to contribute directly to a candidate/party.
Given that corporate PACs outspend union PACs by about 3:1, the playing field still significantly favors corporate interests over workers interests.