article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Workers' Political Rights Act''. SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES BY LABOR ORGANIZATIONS. (a) Contributions to All Political Committees Included.--Paragraph (2) of section 316(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)(2)) is amended by inserting ``political committee,'' after ``campaign committee,''. (b) Applicability of Requirements to Labor Organizations.--Section 316(b) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 441b(b)) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: ``(8)(A) Subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) shall not apply to a labor organization unless the organization meets the requirements of subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D). ``(B) The requirements of this subparagraph are met only if the labor organization provides, at least once annually, to all employees within the labor organization's bargaining unit or units (and to new employees within 30 days after commencement of their employment) written notification presented in a manner to inform any such employee-- ``(i) that an employee cannot be obligated to pay, through union dues or any other mandatory payment to a labor organization, for the political activities of the labor organization, including, but not limited to, the maintenance and operation of, or solicitation of contributions to, a political committee, political communications to members, and voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns; ``(ii) that no employee may be required actually to join any labor organization, but if a collective bargaining agreement covering an employee purports to require membership or payment of dues or other fees to a labor organization as a condition of employment, the employee may elect instead to pay an agency fee to the labor organization; ``(iii) that the amount of the agency fee shall be limited to the employee's pro rata share of the cost of the labor organization's exclusive representation services to the employee's collective bargaining unit, including collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment; ``(iv) that an employee who elects to be a full member of the labor organization and pay membership dues is entitled to a reduction of those dues by the employee's pro rata share of the total spending by the labor organization for political activities; ``(v) that the cost of the labor organization's exclusive representation services, and the amount of spending by such organization for political activities, shall be computed on the basis of such cost and spending for the immediately preceding fiscal year of such organization; and ``(vi) of the amount of the labor organization's full membership dues, initiation fees, and assessments for the current year; the amount of the reduced membership dues, subtracting the employee's pro rata share of the organization's spending for political activities, for the current year; and the amount of the agency fee for the current year. ``(C) The requirements of this subparagraph are met only if the labor organization provides all represented employees an annual examination by an independent certified public accountant of financial statements supplied by such organization which attests that the expenditures which the union claimed it made for certain expenses were actually made for those expenses. Such examination shall be conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. ``(D) The requirements of this subparagraph are met only if the labor organization-- ``(i) maintains procedures to promptly determine the costs that may properly be charged to agency fee payors as costs of exclusive representation, and explains such procedures in the written notification required under subparagraph (B); and ``(ii) if any person challenges the costs which may be properly charged as costs of exclusive representation-- ``(I) provides a mutually selected impartial decisionmaker to hear and decide such challenge pursuant to rules of discovery and evidence and subject to de novo review by the National Labor Relations Board or an applicable court; and ``(II) places in escrow amounts reasonably in dispute pending the outcome of the challenge. ``(E)(i) A labor organization that does not satisfy the requirements of subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D) shall finance any expenditures specified in subparagraphs (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (2) only with funds legally collected under this Act for its separate segregated fund. ``(ii) For purposes of this paragraph, subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) shall apply only with respect to communications expressly advocating the election or defeat of any clearly identified candidate for elective public office.''. SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. The amendments made by section 2 shall apply to contributions and expenditures made after the date of the enactment of this Act.
summary: Workers' Political Rights Act - Amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to permit a labor organization to make political communications and establish and solicit contributions for a separate segregated political fund if it provides the employees it represents with written notification of specified information.