Hatch Act Curtails Postal Union Collection Charity To Get Money Meant For Politicians After Legal Worry Arises

Money collected from Spokane postal workers to help congressional candidates will aid people with muscular dystrophy instead, a union official decided Friday after learning that the collections may have violated federal law.

Since June 24, representatives from the National Association of Letter Carriers have visited six Spokane County post offices during work hours, asking members for money for the union’s political action committee. They had the blessing of Spokane Postmaster Ken Symbol.

Letter carrier John McBride, whose political views often don’t mirror those of his union, complained when the plate was passed at the Opportunity Post Office on Wednesday.

Experts contacted in response to McBride’s complaint gave a variety of opinions on whether the activity is a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from campaigning.

“It could go either way,” said Postal Service attorney Charles Jackson in San Francisco. “Anybody other than a member of (the letter carriers) union clearly could not get away with collecting contributions.”

But union representatives are allowed to conduct “official” union business in post offices. Whether collecting money for candidates meets the definition of official business is open for interpretation, Jackson said.

Steve Schultz, Spokane president of the letter carriers union, said attorneys at the union’s national headquarters first told him the collections were proper. He called for a second opinion Friday, and was told his members had violated the Hatch Act.

“So I immediately terminated all activities, with my apologies,” said Schultz, adding that he’ll recommend that the money go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Schultz said he didn’t know how much money was collected, “but it was under $100.”

McBride said his complaint had nothing to do with the fact that he normally votes Republican and most of his union brethren are Democrats.

“They shouldn’t be collecting money on the workplace floor during work hours,” he said.

Money collected helps candidates who oppose Postal Service budget cuts and other “Postal Service issues,” said Schultz. “Not just labor issues.”

Records show that in late 1995 and so far in 1996, the union’s political action committee gave money to about twice as many Democrats as Republicans.

, DataTimes