Unions Should Fairly Represent Their Workers—In Politics, Too

Labor unions are legally obligated to represent all employees fairly, impartially, and in good faith when representing them in the workplace. A new paper out today from American Compass titled “Organized Labor’s Democratic Deficit” argues that the same obligation should extend to unions’ political and ideological activities.  

American Compass policy advisor Daniel Kishi writes that the labor movement has atrophied after decades of globalization and unlawful union-busting practices, but that union themselves are also to blame insofar as many union leaders have recast their role as political activists first and workplace representatives second. That union politicking can alienate many workers who might otherwise be interested in joining a union—especially when leaders do so without first consulting the workers they represent to understand their views.

To regain the trust of current and potential union members, organized labor must listen to workers. As the political realignment on labor issues continues apace (as documented in a May 2025 survey from American Compass and YouGov), it is increasingly necessary for policymakers to ensure unions faithfully represent their workers. Kishi suggests:

• Enforcing the duty of fair representation consistently across all union activities, including political and ideological ones, by requiring unions to meaningfully engage the workers they represent before making such decisions.
• Expanding Beck rights to allow union members to opt out of funding their union’s political and ideological activities without resigning their membership and forfeiting the benefits it provides.

Click here to read the full paper.