Record-breaking first quarter for Washington public union opt-outs

Erin Volz
April 1, 2024

By the end of March, the Freedom Foundation’s Washington outreach team surpassed a significant milestone, exceeding 1,300 opt-outs in the first quarter of 2024.

The opt-out forms are still pouring in, and nearly half of these numbers are coming from SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, which represents public and private hospital employees across Washington.

Freedom Foundation’s aggressive outreach efforts produced a remarkable wave of defections, all fueled by a simple message, “Bust your window and break free.”

The phrase was the centerpiece of a Freedom Foundation marketing campaign disseminated to more than 4,000 members of SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

The campaign effort was perfectly timed to coincide with SEIU 1199NW’s attempt to convince low-wage members to endorse a dues hike that would have primarily impacted their higher-income colleagues.

Instead, SEIU’s greedy money grab scheme resulted in driving 500 disillusioned union members to the Freedom Foundation’s OptOutToday.com website, making it an even more costly gamble for the union bosses.

Sadly, for one of Washington state’s largest healthcare unions, we are just getting started.

(Mailer sent to SEIU Healthcare 1199NW members)

- Outreach
, SEIU Healthcare 1199 NW, Washington

Erin Volz

Washington Outreach Director

For over 20 years, Erin operated as an independent stylist and business owner in Washington State. In late 2021, she came to the Freedom Foundation seeking to further her impact on local and national policy. She now serves as the Washington State Outreach Director, helping disenfranchised public workers to leave their government union, fight corruption and protect constitutional rights. In her free time, she enjoys road tripping across the country with her husband, riding horses and collecting rare and unusual houseplants.