Hiding the facts from union workers

President Obama insists in public statements that his administration strives for openness and that his policies seek fairness for working families.

Recent executive orders, on the other hand, value neither principle and instead favor the interests of organized labor.

Among the directives issued by the White House on Friday, under the guise of trying to "level the playing field for workers and the unions that represent their interests," was an order that federal contractors are no longer required to inform employees that they can withhold dues used to support their bargaining unit's political activities.

The issue stems from the U.S. Supreme Court's 1988 decision in Communications Workers v. Beck, which held that workers who must join unions as a condition of employment do not have to pay dues beyond their share of collective bargaining costs. Further, the Beck decision said workers are entitled to refunds of dues used by their union for political purposes.

The decision hasn't stopped unions from shielding their finances and preserving their mission to transfer wealth from workers to the Democratic Party. Unions routinely fail to inform members of their rights under the Beck decision and refuse to disclose how dues are spent. And when workers who oppose their bargaining unit's politics ask for their money back, they often are subject to intimidation. A pair of Alabama schoolteachers have alleged that their local union lied to them about how dues were funneled to Mr. Obama's presidential campaign through a National Education Association political action committee.

After the Beck decision was issued, federal contractors were required to post notice that unionized workers could withhold some of their dues.

When President Clinton took office, the order was reversed. When George W. Bush became president, he issued the order anew. Now President Obama has effectively ordered the disclosure notices taken down.

The purpose of the order is clear: Deny workers information that could hinder the ability of bargaining units to fund Democratic Party campaigns and opposition to Republicans and conservative ballot initiatives.

This is openness? This is fighting for the middle class?

In the words of Thomas Jefferson: "To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical." Indeed, it is against federal law.

Coming soon: the Employee Free Choice Act, which will would allow unions to organize without supplying notice to employers and without secret-ballot elections, and which would allow federal arbitrators to decide the terms of a two-year contract if a bargaining unit and employer cannot reach an agreement within 120 days.

The urgency with which President Obama is enacting Big Labor's agenda isn't surprising. But it's flat-out wrong.