New Transparency Act Forces Federal Agencies to Itemize Every Dollar Spent on Union Activities

This legislation, titled the Taxpayer-Funded Union Time Transparency Act, is straightforward: it forces every federal agency to open its books and publicly detail all costs associated with federal employee unions and collective bargaining. Starting the year after it passes, agencies must annually report to Congress and the public, itemizing everything from employee salaries paid during union business to the dollar value of free office space given to labor organizations.

The Receipt for Official Time

The core of this bill revolves around "official time," which is when federal employees are paid their regular salary by the agency while performing duties for the union, such as negotiating contracts or handling grievances. The Act demands agencies calculate the total dollar amount spent on these salaries and benefits. But it gets granular: for every employee who uses official time, the agency must report their job title, base pay, bonuses, benefit costs, and, crucially, the percentage of their total work hours spent on union activities. Think of it as a detailed time card, showing exactly how much of a government worker’s time is spent on union matters rather than their primary job.

Valuing the Freebies

Beyond salaries, the bill targets the non-cash support agencies provide. This includes the money paid to outside experts like arbitrators and mediators brought in to settle disputes. More uniquely, it forces agencies to calculate and report the total monetary value of agency property—like office space, computers, or supplies—provided to labor organizations for free or at a reduced rate. The General Services Administration (GSA) even has to help agencies figure out the square footage and maintenance costs of any real estate given to unions. Essentially, if a union gets a free office in a federal building, the public will now see the exact rent and maintenance cost they aren't paying.

The Real-World Impact: Burden vs. Accountability

For taxpayers, this bill offers a massive boost in transparency. If you’re concerned about how your tax dollars are spent, you’ll get a clear, itemized receipt for the costs of federal union operations. However, this level of detail comes with a significant administrative burden for federal agencies, which will need to revamp their accounting systems to track these costs down to the individual employee and shared utility bill. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to audit these accounting practices every four years, ensuring agencies aren't just making up the numbers. For federal employee unions, this means their operations, previously funded indirectly through agency budgets, will now be under intense public scrutiny, potentially changing how they utilize official time and agency resources. While the bill doesn't change the rules for official time, it certainly changes the public visibility of who is using it and how much it costs.