Answer to Question 1
After receiving union proposals for contract revisions, the company advised the bargaining representatives that negotiations would be pointless as it had definitely decided to contract out the work performed by the employees covered by the agreement, replacing them with an independent contractor's employees.
Answer to Question 2
In choosing to spend the secondary income from the arbitration awards on political and charitable contributions rather than on representational expenses, the union is essentially increasing the dues required of Beck objectors in order to pay for these contributions. That is exactly what the Supreme Court prohibited in Beck. Moreover, the objectors want to make their own determinations on political and charitable giving, if any, and it is this basic right that motivates them to object in the first place.
