Frequently Asked
Questions
about the AAUP-AFT’s
Political Action Committee (PAC)
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What
does politics have to do with collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining and political action are inseparable for public
employees. Cuts in state funding for education and tax policies
that favor upper-income families at the expense of the middle class
make it all the harder for our union to negotiate fair salaries
and a healthy work environment.
How is
this different from the Administration’s efforts?
We share a concern for Wayne State’s future, but the union
can mobilize more people through face-to-face contact, and our efforts
are amplified in Lansing by the statewide presence of the AFT, AAUP,
and the labor movement generally.
Our campaign is not limited to lobbying current
legislators for Wayne State; it also presents concrete proposals
for addressing the state budget crisis: shifting resources away
from a bloated prison system to education and healthcare, and tax
reform.
We are also concerned with electing legislators
who support this agenda, and with the nomination and election of
candidates to the university’s Board of Governors (BOG). It
makes a great deal of difference to our working conditions and professional
careers thawe have members of the BOG who respond to the needs of
academic employees and who support collective bargaining.
Is the union spending
dues money on candidates?
No. By law, the union can only use dues money for political education
and candidate endorsements communicated to the faculty and academic
staff. For candidate contributions and endorsements aimed at the
general public, we will use only the voluntary contributions that
we collect for our PAC fund.
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I
already make political contributions, so why give to PAC?
A PAC contribution gives more “bang for the buck.” Individual
donations disappear into a larger pool and leave no significant
marker of why that individual is supporting a particular candidate.
Our PAC dollars, in contrast, go into the American Federation of
Teacher’s statewide fund and are delivered to candidates with
a clear message of who we are— as a group— and who that
candidate needs to listen to.
How
will the money be spent?
The AFT’s statewide PAC will focus on two agendas: 1) educating
the public about the issues and the candidates through billboards,
public forums, and broadcast and print media; and 2) contributing
campaign dollars to candidates who support our issues in House,
Senate, and BOG races around the state.
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Does
our PAC money only go to Democrats?
Our PAC campaign is focused on reordering state spending and tax
priorities, and we will support any candidate who supports our issue
agenda. In practice, that has more often meant Democrats, but we
do support Republicans when they support us.
Do
our PAC dollars stay in Michigan?
Yes. Our PAC contributions go exclusively to Michigan candidates.
Is
my contribution tax deductible?
Not for federal taxes. For those who itemize their state taxes,
there is a modest deductible that varies by the size of the contribution
up to a maximum deduction of $50.
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Where
does the petition go?
A group of House and Senate members who support equitable taxes
and a shift in resources from prisons to education and healthcare
will join us in a press conference in Lansing that announces the
results of our petition drive.
Do
politicians pay attention to a petition or a letter?
The best of our elected representatives care about the issues and
their constituents; all of our elected representatives care about
votes. They assume— correctly, in our opinion— that
people who feel strongly enough to sign a petition or send a letter
are opinion leaders and will influence others.
Do
I have to be a union member to sign the petition or contribute?
All faculty and academic staff are urged to support this campaign,
whether you are a union member, a Fair Share fee payer, or a scholarship
contributor.
Who
are my representatives in Lansing?
You can find your local reps by zip code on the AFT Michigan Get Active Center.
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