UnitedHealth Group

A New York Post opinion piece by the Manhattan Institute's Christopher Rufo and City Journal's Kenneth Schrupp highlights the financial and political scale of California's public-sector unions. The report finds the state's 10 largest public-sector unions collectively collected more than $1 billion in dues and fees in the year ending 2024, with combined membership exceeding 1 million workers — a bloc representing at least 29% of California's 2024 Democratic primary voters.

The piece ties union influence to lobbying wins, including the California Teachers Association's push for a $10 billion school construction bond, and to Proposition 40, a SEIU-backed measure that would impose a 5% tax on billionaire assets, with proceeds directed largely to Medi-Cal and health programs. The authors argue this activity compounds fiscal pressure as California faces a projected $14 billion structural deficit for 2026-27 and more than $265 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, raising the stakes for upcoming tax and budget ballot measures.