Our public sector labor union maintains its own dental, vision and life insurance benefits programs. Funds for these benefits are negotiated for during contract negotiations between the union and the municipality. However, costs for dental and vision services have outpaced the annual amount that the municipality provides. Short of cutting back on the levels of benefits provided, can funds that are DONATED to the union, FROM THE PUBLIC, also be used to pay for such benefits? Recently the union began a letter writing campaign to its citizens soliciting donations for worthy charitible causes that it supports. However there was no mention of using the donated monies for its welfare benefits plans also. Can such donated funds be used for such purposes legally/ethically? If this other purpose (to use the donations for the union's dental & vision expenses) was included in the solicitation letter, would it still be legal to do even though the benefits are being funded from the municipality through its contract?
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