Questions & Answers
Who is the “Freedom” Foundation and how are they funded?
LEARN MORE AT FREEDOM FOUNDATION FACTS
- The ‘Freedom’ Foundation is a far-right group funded by wealthy corporations who want to shrink government, cut public services and turn over vital programs like public education, social services and worker’s compensation to private corporations.
- The ‘Freedom’ Foundation is supported by far-right groups such as the Koch brothers, ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) and are connected to dangerous alt-right hate groups like Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF)
What do they want?
They say they stand for freedom but what they really want is to free up corporations to make as much money as possible and free working families from jobs with good wages, benefits and protections. They’ve set their sights on unions because we’re the biggest obstacle to their agenda. They want to shrink state government while our union fights to protect funding for public services and improvements to state employee pay and benefits. Meanwhile the ‘Freedom’ Foundation has supported cuts to funding for vital public services and supports privatizing public programs.
- They have spoken out AGAINST pay increases for state employees, AGAINST paid sick days and step increases for public employees.
- The Freedom Foundation has supported efforts to undermine our retirement security by changing our real pensions into 401k’s.
- The Freedom Foundation may claim to be worried about state employees -- but their track record shows the opposite. They have spoken out against state employee interests and are openly anti-public service!
Why are they contacting us about our union membership?
It’s simple. We stand in the way. Our union protects public employees and the public good. As long as we’re strong they can’t get their hands on the billions of dollars invested each year in public services and public education. They want to slash government programs, cut public services and outsource public jobs to the private sector. They are a front group for the ultra-wealthy and funded by special interests.
What has the ’Freedom’ Foundation said about our pay, benefits and funding for public services?
- On state employee pay: “It makes little sense to promote a pay raise for state employees who are satisfied enough with their jobs that 90% of them choose to remain employed by the state.” – Amber Gunn, Freedom Foundation Blog
- On privatizing public service work: “The state and taxpayers would be better off competitively contracting (out) jobs that already exist within the private sector.” – Amber Gunn, Freedom Foundation Blog
- On our health care: “It’s about time state worker health insurance premiums were on the table. The Freedom Foundation has long recommended that state workers’ pay a bigger share…” – Freedom Foundation Official Blog
- On our pensions: “Everything should be on the table... states should consider replacing their defined-benefit plans with defined-contribution 401(k) plans.” – Bob Williams, founder of the “Freedom” Foundation
Why is the “Freedom” Foundation intruding on our privacy by visiting/mailing our homes?
Their wealthy out-of-state donors want to “dismantle” our union which then removes opposition to cutting public services, hurting our benefits, pension and pay. Our union has stopped the so-called “Freedom” Foundation year after year as they attacked public services and attacked state employees in WA. So now the group is trying to weaken our union membership to get the union out of the way. What’s their real agenda? To help make the rich richer and reduce government spending in all areas. Their corporate funders would profit if public services were moved to private sector companies--but our union stands in the way.
For more info please contact the MCC at: (833) MCC-WFSE (1-833-622-9373) or [email protected]
