Public Union Democracy
Unions should be about employees, not about politics
Originally published at The Hill “I’ll be honest with you,” said Teamsters President Sean O’Brien in a recent podcast interview. “I’m a Democrat, but they have f—ed…
Read More: Unions should be about employees, not about politicsPennsylvania will only become a beacon for opportunity when its policies are in the hands of taxpayers and citizens, not special interests and bureaucrats. It’s vital that our government is accountable to the people—not organizations or institutions. Policies that advance transparency and restore workers’ rights are the keys to this happening.
Related Issues
Public Union Democracy
SCOTUS Champions Worker Freedom in Historic Decision
June 27, 2018, Harrisburg, Pa. — For decades, government workers in Pennsylvania and other forced-union states have faced an unjust workplace ultimatum: Pay a union, or lose your job. But with today’s…
Press Release
Read More: SCOTUS Champions Worker Freedom in Historic DecisionEducation
Troubling Features of Pa. Teacher Contracts
Union-negotiated collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) dictate the compensation packages and workplace conditions of over 100,000 teachers in Pennsylvania's 500 school districts—regardless of their union membership. As the “exclusive representative” of all teachers…
Media
Read More: Troubling Features of Pa. Teacher ContractsPublic Union Democracy
Government Union Efforts to Restrict Workers’ Rights
June will bring a U.S. Supreme Court decision potentially restoring First Amendment rights to millions of public sector workers. The response from government union leaders? Schemes to continue—and further restrict—public…
Media
Read More: Government Union Efforts to Restrict Workers’ RightsPublic Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Primer
Paycheck protection ends the use of public resources to collect government unions’ political money. Under current law, state and local governments (including school districts) take both union…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Paycheck Protection PrimerEducation
Pittsburgh School District Rescinds Performance-Based Pay
In 2009, the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) utilized a $40 million grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to implement a comprehensive new K-12 education program. The program, known…
Media
Read More: Pittsburgh School District Rescinds Performance-Based PayGovernment Accountability
Transparency is Fundamental to Good Govt
Government transparency is a driving issue for Rep. Seth Grove. Without it, citizens can’t determine if state government is spending tax dollars efficiently. And hiding government operations from the public…
Media
Read More: Transparency is Fundamental to Good GovtPublic Union Democracy
Reading Schools Stop Paying Ghost Teachers
Since 2011, Reading taxpayers have spent over $500,000 subsidizing the salaries of local teachers’ union officials. Finally, this unfair arrangement will end. In a practice known as “ghost teaching,”…
Media
Read More: Reading Schools Stop Paying Ghost TeachersGovernment Accountability
Government that Works?in the Shadows
Legislation introduced by Rep. Seth Grove—House Bill 1843—injects a much-needed dose of transparency into the state budget. The proposal would give taxpayers access to critical budget documents and financial…
Media
Read More: Government that Works?in the ShadowsPublic Union Democracy
PSU Graduate Students Reject Unionization
According to preliminary results, Penn State graduate assistants have voted to reject joining the Pennsylvania State Education Association. If the Coalition of Graduate Employees convinced a majority of voting graduate…
Media
Read More: PSU Graduate Students Reject UnionizationEducation
Teacher Strike Capitol of America
Pennsylvania is the teacher strike capital of America. Since 1999, Pennsylvania families have suffered through 131 strikes, affecting 300,000 students and causing 1,383 missed school days. This research, including county,…
Press Release
Read More: Teacher Strike Capitol of AmericaPublic Union Democracy
Pa. Leads the Nation in Teacher Strikes
This report compares Pennsylvania's strike laws to other states, and highlights the impact on teachers and students.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pa. Leads the Nation in Teacher StrikesPublic Union Democracy
4 Facts on Pennsylvania Teacher Strikes
Between the nearly averted strike in Pittsburgh and statewide strikes in West Virginia and Oklahoma, the validity of teacher strikes is once again up for debate. Here are four facts…
Media
Read More: 4 Facts on Pennsylvania Teacher StrikesPublic Union Democracy
Gov. Wolf Receives $8 Million from Government Union PACs
As the 2018 election season gains momentum, Governor Wolf’s campaign friends are ramping up their financial support–and Pennsylvania taxpayers have helped them. Since his first campaign in 2013, Governor Wolf…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf Receives $8 Million from Government Union PACsGovernment Accountability
The Call for Contract Transparency Continues
An ABC27 special investigation asks a simple question: “Would you pay a bill before you saw it?” Most people would answer with a resounding no. Yet, as the report highlights, that’s exactly…
Media
Read More: The Call for Contract Transparency ContinuesGovernment Accountability
The Ethics Reform Pa. Should Prioritize
Governor Wolf recently revealed more details of his “Citizens First” plan to reform campaign finance laws and gerrymandering practices. This follows the state Supreme Court’s controversial decision to redraw…
Media
Read More: The Ethics Reform Pa. Should PrioritizePublic Union Democracy
Pa. Government Union Politics: $114 Million Since 2007
The data affirms—government unions are among Pennsylvania’s most powerful political players. From 2007-17, the commonwealth’s top government unions spent more than $114.8 million on politics.
Media
Read More: Pa. Government Union Politics: $114 Million Since 2007Government Accountability
Wolf’s “Citizens First” Reforms Won’t Solve Many Problems
Today, Gov. Wolf introduced a slew of “government reforms” to tackle Pennsylvania’s corruption problem. Here is our quick take on each. Gift Ban In theory, this seems like a…
Media
Read More: Wolf’s “Citizens First” Reforms Won’t Solve Many ProblemsGovernment Accountability
Paycheck Protection, the Ethics Reform Wolf Should Pursue
Governor Wolf unveiled today his Citizens First Ethics Plan, which should cause Pennsylvanians to wonder, how willing is the governor to truly pursue ethics reform? The plan includes a…
Media
Read More: Paycheck Protection, the Ethics Reform Wolf Should PursueEducation
Pittsburgh Teachers’ Strike Averted, but Transparency is Still Needed
After nearly nine months without a contract, the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers (PFT) and Pittsburgh Public Schools have tentatively reached an agreement, which will stave off this Friday’s impending…
Media
Read More: Pittsburgh Teachers’ Strike Averted, but Transparency is Still NeededEducation
Will Philly’s New School Board Welcome Choice?
Yesterday the Educational Nominating Panel for Philadelphia’s new school board voted to recommend board candidates to Mayor Kenney. Here is who made the list: Sarah-Ashley Andrews, Jenne Ayers,…
Media
Read More: Will Philly’s New School Board Welcome Choice?Public Union Democracy
Pa. Teachers Support Worker Freedom Case Before Supreme
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in a historic case, Janus v. AFSCME, that could free thousands of Pennsylvania teachers and other government workers from workplace coercion.
Press Release
Read More: Pa. Teachers Support Worker Freedom Case Before Supreme