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| Hilo, Hawaii News, Sports, & Information |
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 |
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Posted: Thursday, September 27th, 2012 8:50 AM HST
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Union fined for support in Hawaii Congress race
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HONOLULU (AP) — A complaint about the United Public Workers' support of Hawaii's U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa in 2010 is raising questions about how far labor unions can go in requiring political participation.
The union agreed to pay a $5,500 penalty to the Federal Election Commission for not reporting more than $40,000 in spending to help Hanabusa win a special election.
The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Thursday the complaint showed a division within the FEC on the issue.
Three Republican appointees agreed with UPW attorneys that employees can be required to participate in activities such as sign-waving and telephone banking for candidates. Three Democratic appointees said there was evidence the union coerced employees.
A former staff attorney for the union alleged she was fired because she wouldn't participate in activities to help Hanabusa.
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