A Word Against the United Way

I would like to offer a minority opinion and say a word against the United Way, at least as it has operated in my city. The fundamental problem with the United Way is that too often it operates in the workplace as a shakedown. In less desirable working environments this is often done explicitly and directly. Even in better companies where employees are not coerced, there can be a strong implicit pressure when the boss is the one passing the hat.

  I once worked in a place where employees were heavily pressured by their bosses to donate to the United Way. Each year among the most reliable givers of their “fair share” were the least educated, lowest income employees - some of whom probably could have qualified for benefits from some of the agencies - who, fearful for their jobs, dutifully ponied up. The whole thing was disgusting. It was not only a shakedown of those of us who might resent it but at least could afford it. It was also a disgraceful shakedown of the most vulnerable, and it was done blatantly and with no purpose other than to allow our repulsive little CEO to appear among the other civic leaders and announce that our goal had been met. (The very most reliable fair share givers in that dysfunctional outfit were the up and coming careerist brown nosers who tended to see the whole thing less as charity than as just one more item of cost on the road to ingratiate themselves with the bosses.)

The pressure is not restricted to employees within companies. United Way fund raisers pressure companies and business owners to have their employees participate as well. I know of at least one case of United Way teams deciding to threaten a business that did not want to participate with retaliation from the bank that held its business loans. The whole thing just smells bad. It is questionable in concept and callous and sleazy in practice. It often has less to do with charity than with the desire of a bunch of preening suits to show off, network, and congratulate each other on how “civic minded” they are.

  So I urge people to avoid it of they can. If they have the choice, they should select some of the United Way charities they find worthy and donate to them directly. It’s cleaner, and it has the additional advantage that each person can choose to give to things that most interest him.