Good Unions vs. Bad Unions: Who They Serve, and Why It Matters
America needs strong, honest unions that deliver for workers. The difference between good and bad unions comes down to one question: who do they serve first?
Good unions serve members. Bad unions serve a political party.
What Good Unions Look Like
Good unions focus on paychecks, safety, training, and stability. They win support the right way, through secret-ballot elections, open dialogue, and transparent finances. They negotiate real contracts, invest in skills, and keep members’ interests ahead of politics. Many craft and trade unions fit this model. When unions deliver results, families and the economy are stronger.
What Bad Unions Do
Bad unions treat member dues like campaign cash. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Communication Workers of America (CWA) are the clearest examples. Their own records show near-total alignment with the Democratic Party over multiple cycles:
SEIU: $13M (2016), $29.4M (2020), $35.4M (2024), roughly 99% to Democrats.
CWA: $3.5M (2016), $10.2M (2020), $14M (2024), ~99% to Democrats.
They endorsed Clinton in 2016, Biden in 2020, and Biden then Harris in 2024. Their public statements and “No Kings” activism attack President Trump and his supporters by name. That is not neutral worker advocacy. It is a political operation.
How Policy Tilted the Field for Bad Unions
Under the Biden administration, the NLRB stopped acting like a neutral referee and adopted procedures that benefit partisan, politics-first unions:
Cemex bargaining orders weaken private elections by making it easier to impose representation when the Board finds employer violations.
Card checks encourage public pressure in place of private voting. Americans vote by secret ballot in every important election. Workers deserve the same protection at work.
Captive-audience restrictions curb employer meetings on unionization, which means workers hear less information before deciding.
Blocking charges let unions stall representation or decertification elections for months, leaving workplaces in limbo.
Federal courts have already raised serious separation-of-powers concerns about the NLRB’s structure. The solution is to restore a lawful, balanced process that protects worker choice and respects Congress’s role.
The Trump Difference: A Pro-Worker Solution
The Trump administration has an opportunity to finish the reset the country needs. Pro-worker means pro-choice and pro-growth:
Defend secret ballots. Make private voting the rule, not the exception. Sideline card-check shortcuts and outcome-driven bargaining orders.
Protect free speech. Workers deserve to hear from both employers and unions before voting.
End delay tactics. Set clear timelines so blocking charges cannot freeze elections or decertifications.
Promote transparency. Members should see where every dollar goes and stop funding causes they do not support.
These principles are not anti-union. They are pro-worker. They support unions that win on performance, not politics.
Building vs. Dividing
The SEIU and CWA operate as partisan actors, effectively serving as fundraising and organizing arms of the Democratic Party, as shown by their endorsements, rhetoric, and spending. Their leaders often target President Trump and his voters. That is their right, but it isn’t worker-first representation.
By contrast, good unions keep faith with members. They win support in secret-ballot elections, bargain for raises and safety, and partner on growth. They build rather than divide.
The Bottom Line
Workers deserve unions that serve them, not a political party. Restoring a neutral NLRB, protecting secret ballots, ensuring full information, and stopping delay tactics will lift up member-focused unions and expose political machines. That is how you put workers, not insiders, back at the center of labor policy.