Elon Musk & DOGE Should Eliminate the Arguably Illegal and Unquestionably Wasteful Racket of Union Official Time
Taxpayer Funding for Labor Union Political Activities = Taxpayers’ Coerced to Fund Labor Union Political Activities
Imagine your hard-earned tax dollars being secretly funneled into a political machine you never signed up for — a scheme so audacious it’s hiding in plain sight. This isn’t a conspiracy theory; it’s the shocking reality of union “Official Time,” a taxpayer-funded racket that’s as wasteful as it is potentially illegal. And it’s time to demand Congress stop it cold.
Picture this: millions of your tax dollars — $135 million in 2019 alone — paying federal employees not to serve the public, but to work full time for union bosses. They’re negotiating contracts, lobbying for power, and building political war chests, all while clocking government hours, racking up benefits, and cashing taxpayer-funded paychecks. In 2016, it was even worse: $177 million for 3.6 million hours (about 410 and a half years) — over 410 years’ worth—of union activity. This isn’t pocket change; it’s a systemic heist, and you’re the unwilling donor.
Here’s the kicker: The Supreme Court’s 2018 Janus opinion blew the lid off this game. It essentially declared that public-sector union work is inherently political — every contract, every grievance, every meeting a move to sway policy and elections. Yet, under the flimsy cover of Official Time, Big Labor gets a free pass to siphon off your money for their agenda. Federal laws like the Hatch Act ban political activity on government time, but union reps skate through a loophole, some spending 100% of their “job” amplifying union clout. If that’s not a violation, what is?
Worse, it’s a First Amendment gut punch. The Janus opinion said forcing workers to fund union speech is unconstitutional coercion. So why are millions of taxpayers — many who would never back Big Labor’s politics — forced to bankroll it through taxes? This isn’t just waste; it’s a legal outrage, a compulsory donation to a cause you didn’t choose. And the unions? They laugh all the way to the lobbying firm, freed up to spend dues on campaigns while you cover their overhead.
The numbers don’t lie: 2.6 million hours (about 296 and a half years) in 2019, 1.7 million at the Postal Service alone back in 1995. That’s not “representation”—it’s a taxpayer-subsidized empire of influence. Oversight? A joke — OPM hasn’t reported since 2019, leaving us blind to the latest damage. But the FY 2024 report’s coming, and it’ll expose more of this scandal. Meanwhile, union giants like AFSCME rake in millions for political muscle, all while you foot the bill for their “official” work.
This isn’t about unions existing — it’s about who pays for their power grab. Why should a farmer in Nebraska or a teacher in Texas be taxed to fund a federal union’s lobbying a government agency? They shouldn’t—and legally, they may not have to.
Elon Musk and his DOGE team could shine a spotlight on this shadowy mess, but it’s up to us to force the issue. Congress has the power to end this—cut Official Time, make unions stand on their own, and restore your rights.
Don’t let this slide. Call your representative today — demand they investigate and dismantle this unethical, potentially unconstitutional racket. Your tax dollars deserve better than funding Big Labor’s political playground. Act now, before the next $135 million vanishes into their hands.
Hard Evidence:
- 2019: $135M, 2.6M hours (296+ years) – OPM
- 2016: $177M, 3.6M hours (410+ years) – OPM
- 1995: 1.7M hours (194 years) – Postal Service, GAO
- Janus (2018): Government Labor Union Activities = Political activity
- Taxpayer Funding for Labor Union Political Activities = Taxpayers’ Coerced to Fund Labor Union Political Activities.