Janitors from the politically powerful Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 walked out of their jobs at Professional Maintenance after the company began cutting hours earlier this year. The company claims that Obamacare has forced the cuts, according to a report in the Washington Examiner.
Unions, including the SEIU, were major supporters of the law. However, the law’s implementation has caused uproar among union members, who face the prospects of cost hikes on their benefits and the threat of losing employer insurance plans.
The AFL-CIO’s Nevada Chapter issued a resolution in August, saying that Obamacare "will lead to the destruction of the 40-hour work week." Three leading labor unions sent letters in July to Capitol Hill leaders asking them to amend the law to provide subsidies to union members to address rising costs.
The Department of Labor posted a new regulation that appeared to open union members to Obamacare subsidies in response to criticism from labor groups. The department quickly removed the provision from its website. House Republicans are now investigating whether the administration attempted to bypass Congress in order to please labor unions.
This is the latest effort from unions to avoid the law’s adverse effects. Dozens of unions have acquired exemptions from the law’s benefit mandates.
SEIU spent more than $23 million on the 2012 cycle with only $12,000 going to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.