Labor board answers when unions call

A little history: In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its “Beck” decision, which says a portion of union dues going to political causes can be waived for workers who request it. Since then, Republican administrations have traditionally ordered notices to that effect to go up in workplaces, and Democratic administrations have ordered them taken down.

The Obama NLRB went a step further this month when it voted 3-1 to gut the protections afforded by Beck. The panel said requirements that unions keep independent audits of their finances and prove to members that they're properly spending dues money no longer apply, and that those who object are no longer entitled to that proof.

The NLRB also said unions' lobbying expenses can be charged to so-called Beck objectors, “to the extent that they are germane to collective bargaining, contract administration, or grievance adjustment.” As The Wall Street Journal noted in an editorial, that definition “could cover nearly any lobbying expense.”