(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The Freedom Foundation broke all previous records in helping government employees across the country leave their unions and stop paying dues during the third quarter of 2023.

For the quarter, the Freedom Foundation helped more than 13,000 former government union members opt out of union membership and dues, thus keeping $13 million in their pockets and out of the unions’ hands.

The Freedom Foundation helped more than 4,000 people leave their public employee unions every month between July and September, setting an all-time one-week record of 1,390 union opt-outs Sept. 10-16.

The state of Illinois contributed 500 opt-outs during that week, while the organization processed 445 opt-outs in one day alone, shattering its previous single day record total.

At a national average rate of $1,000 a year in union dues for each employee, that single week will cost government unions more than $1.3 million a year, every year, forever.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the work the Freedom Foundation is doing to help people keep more of their hard-earned paychecks and stop funding distant, bloated, ideological government unions,” said Aaron Withe, CEO of the Freedom Foundation.

“These aren’t merely statistics; they represent thousands of public employees exercising their Constitutional right not to be forced to fund union activity as a condition of employment.”

Withe concluded, “It’s gratifying to know that as the cost of everyday goods and services continues to rise, our work is directly helping people put more gas in their car or food on their table rather than line the pockets of union bosses who back the very policies causing many of the country’s economic hardships.”