As Long As Union Membership Is Mandatory...

Unions should have no right to direct funds, raised through compulsory membership dues, to advocacy groups unrelated to workplace needs.

The Canadian Centre for Policy Studies said Canada's union laws making union membership mandatory for those joining a unionized workplace, or forcing employees to pay dues even if they choose not to join the union are "markedly different" from virtually all western nations.
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"The mandatory nature of the relationship between workers and trade unions in certain industries can be an invitation for abuse," the paper said.

"Modernizing legislation in order to protect workers from potential abuse at the hands of their unions that can result from these extraordinary powers is both sensible, and long overdue." Trade unions should be publicly required to disclose their financial activities and unions should be prevented from diverting mandatory dues to causes that are unrelated to the needs of their members, it said.

The rules could be imposed by changing sections 95 and 110 of the Canada Labour Code, the think-tank added.

The centre claims that such proposals would gain the backing of most unionized workers, citing a 2008 Nanos Research poll that found more than 80% of workers oppose union leaders giving dues to political parties or advertising during elections.

Nearly 70% of unionized workers opposed giving dues to advocacy groups unrelated to workplace needs, it said.

(Edmonton Sun)

The actual report could be downloaded here.

The government should listen to the Canadian Centre for Policy Studies more often. Even though, this may look like they're calling for more government regulation - in this case, the regulation is justified. The way the situation is now, the only way to stop the union from directing your money to causes you don't support (let alone - openly oppose) is to quit your job and look for work in a non-unionized environment. For many (like nurses or teachers) that would essentially mean a career change.

People should not be forced to choose between their job, their career and their views, their moral principles, their religious beliefs. The rules must be changed, so that unions could no longer use the funds, raised from mandatory membership dues, to support causes and ideologies that have nothing to do with the actual workplace needs. Or, if the unions wish to maintain their right to spend members' money as they please, then we should allow those 70-80% who don't agree with the way their dues are handled, to quit and form their own unions; ones that would actually put their members' needs first.