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First quarter union lobbying records available

Posted by Scott Dilley - April 24, 2008

One way to hold unions accountable for their spending on political issues is to use the U.S. Lobbying Disclosure Act database. This website reveals who is lobbying Congress, how much money organizations are spending, and what issues are important to them.

Here are a few highlights we found when we searched the 2008 first quarter reports by client:

  • The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees reported $480,000 in expenses.
  • Change to Win, a coalition of seven unions including SEIU, reported $80,000 in expenses.
  • The National Education Association reported $284,964 in expenses. 
  • The AFL-CIO reported $540,000 in expenses.
There are a few limitations to the reports. The amounts listed are estimates, and only organizations that spend at least $10,000 on lobbying during a quarter must report. Changes to the law in 2007 have forced organizations to disclose any affiliates that contribute $5,000 or more in any three-month period. For more information on the LDA and recent, related litigation, click here and here.

While these reports are not comprehensive in their approach to transparency, they at least provide another window into the inner workings of labor union political priorities and spending. Union members and the public should use the reports for increased union accountability.

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