Stick together. Stay union. Ignore Opt Out Today

WFSE Staff

Sep. 25, 2026

“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.” - from the official freedom foundation blog

Stick Together. Stay Union.

As WFSE members vote on and ratify tentative agreements that were proposed by, negotiated by, fought for, and endorsed by public workers, many of us are getting messages from a group called Opt Out Today, a project of the anti-worker, billionaire-funded “Freedom” Foundation.

Maybe you’ve been annoyed by their junk mail and emails for years.

The same people who have spent decades trying to reduce your pay, cut your pension, and roll back your healthcare do not want to save you money.

Here's what they're really about.

IT’S THE HAVE-NOTS IN THE EVER-SHRINKING PRIVATE SECTOR BEING TOLD THEY MUST CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE UNPRODUCTIVE HAVES IN GOVERNMENT WITH INFLATED WAGES AND LIFETIME BENEFITS. Aaron Withe, Opt Out Today aka “Freedom” Foundation CEO

WE WANT PENSION REFORM AND WE WANT LESS TAXES AND WE WANT SMALLER GOVERNMENT, AND YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO GET THOSE THINGS WITH UNIONS IN THE WAY. Tom McCabe, former Opt Out Today aka “Freedom” Foundation CEO

WE SAY IT’S ABOUT TIME STATE WORKER HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS WERE ON THE TABLE. [WE HAVE] LONG RECOMMENDED THAT STATE WORKERS PAY A BIGGER SHARE OF THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS... Official blog of Opt Out Today aka the “Freedom” Foundation

Opt Out Today: Don't Fall for It

Nationwide, the “Freedom” Foundation works with legislators to shrink the public sector and reduce workers’ pay and benefits.

In worker-friendly states like ours, they’ve changed tactics and created Opt Out Today.

Instead of directly lobbying elected officials to slash public spending, they convince public workers to do their work for them by dropping their union.

Organized workers and our unions stand in the way of privatization, cuts, the erosion of our rights and safety at work, and more.

They don’t want to save you money.

They didn’t walk out of work on August 31st, or join us outside the Governor’s Mansion on Labor Day weekend.

They didn’t join us at the Capitol when the State Senate tried to jack up our healthcare costs and take away our right to negotiate over healthcare.

Don’t fall for it.

Stick with your coworkers and the folks who depend on your work. Stay union strong.

If you're not a member, join today.