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.
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Public Union Democracy
Property Taxpayer Protections: Tax Referendum & Prevailing Wage
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is in the midst of discussing what to do about school property taxes. The discussion is an old one in Harrisburg. The complexity of this issue…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Property Taxpayer Protections: Tax Referendum & Prevailing WageEducation
Striking teachers strike again…and again…and again…
Students in the northeast PA school district of Crestwood may be getting a few more days off, thanks to the PSEA labor unions efforts to raise taxes on homeowners…
Media
Read More: Striking teachers strike again…and again…and again…Government Accountability
Capital Gains Tax Reform Benefits Seniors, Pennsylvanians
The Tax Foundation released an analysis of federal capital gains and dividend taxes: The Tax Foundation – Majority of Seniors Benefit from Reduced Capital Gains and Dividend Tax Rates.
Media
Read More: Capital Gains Tax Reform Benefits Seniors, PennsylvaniansGovernment Accountability
Republican group seeks disclosure by lobbyists, trim in size of state Legislature
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette… “Proposals that would force lobbyists to disclose their spending, reduce the number of legislators and require more openness in passing bills aren’t new. What is new…
Media
Read More: Republican group seeks disclosure by lobbyists, trim in size of state LegislatureEducation
Is the NEA Really a NUT?
Is the NEA really a NUT? By asking, I’m not casting aspersions on the National Education Association’s sanity, just on its choice of name. The NEA’s British counterpart really is…
Commentary
Read More: Is the NEA Really a NUT?Education
Throwing a Party for the Educational Status Quo
The National Education Association recently concluded its annual convention in Los Angeles, gathering 8,000 delegates in celebration of the status quo in public education. When attendees weren’t offering a vigorous…
Commentary
Read More: Throwing a Party for the Educational Status QuoEducation
The Union Behind the Curtain
California’s Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is giving his 49 colleagues across the country a quick tutorial in political courage. And Gov. Ed Rendell would be wise to sit up in class…
Commentary
Read More: The Union Behind the CurtainPublic Union Democracy
The Teachers Menace: Compulsory Unionism
“I want to urge devotion to the fundamental of human liberty—to the principles of voluntarism. No lasting gain has ever come from compulsion. … [T]he workers of America adhere to…
Commentary
Read More: The Teachers Menace: Compulsory UnionismEducation
The Somerset Nine: Pennsylvanias Magnificent Seven
What does it take for school board members to be fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money? For the nine members of the Somerset Area School District (SASD) board of directors, the…
Commentary
Read More: The Somerset Nine: Pennsylvanias Magnificent SevenGovernment Accountability
Give Taxpayers Same Deal Legislators Get
Members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly are set to receive their annual automatic pay increase on December 1. Now keep in mind that our state legislators are already, according to…
Commentary
Read More: Give Taxpayers Same Deal Legislators GetPublic Union Democracy
Time to Labor to End Compulsory Unionism
"We want a legislative program led by leaders and staff with sufficient clout that they may roam the halls of Congress and collect votes to reorder the priorities of the…
Commentary
Read More: Time to Labor to End Compulsory UnionismEducation
Union Propaganda Can’t Hide Charter Schools’ Success
There they go again. Back in July 2002, during a slow news period, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a school employee labor union, issued a widely cited report "showing"…
Commentary
Read More: Union Propaganda Can’t Hide Charter Schools’ SuccessEducation
Set Our Teachers Free!
Remarks of Matthew J. Brouillette, President & CEO, The Commonwealth Foundation I'm Matthew Brouillette, president of The Commonwealth Foundation. Prior to moving into the world of public policy, I…
Commentary
Read More: Set Our Teachers Free!Government Accountability
Reinventing Education in Pennsylvania: Fulfilling the Promise of Public Schooling
For more than 250 years, Pennsylvanians have striven to bring academic excellence within reach of their children. In the mid 1700s, when Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and William & Mary colleges…
Report
Read More: Reinventing Education in Pennsylvania: Fulfilling the Promise of Public SchoolingPublic Union Democracy
More “Takers” Than “Makers”
Another Labor Day is upon us, but the organized labor union movement in Pennsylvania has very little to celebrate this year. Union membership in the private sector continues its decades…
Commentary
Read More: More “Takers” Than “Makers”Public Union Democracy
The Impact of Compulsory Unionism on Economic Development
Executive Summary With increasing global competition taking a toll on U.S. manufacturing jobs, and state governments and municipalities struggling to achieve greater operating efficiencies in the face of declining revenues…
Report
Read More: The Impact of Compulsory Unionism on Economic DevelopmentPublic Union Democracy
Nobody should be forced to pay for someone elses politics!
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you Mr. Chairman and Members of the House Labor Relations Committee for the invitation to testify this morning on an important…
Commentary
Read More: Nobody should be forced to pay for someone elses politics!Education
The Pennsylvania State (Everything But) Education Association
Almost as predictable as the beginning of the football season is the start of the strike season by public school employees in Pennsylvania. And the kick-off to the 2002-03 school…
Commentary
Read More: The Pennsylvania State (Everything But) Education AssociationEducation
Statewide Teacher Contract Will Destroy The Teaching Profession In Pennsylvania
Testimony of Matthew J. Brouillette, President, Commonwealth Foundation Thank you Mr. Chairman, Rep. Wilt, and Members of the House Labor Relations Committee for the invitation to testify this morning on…
Commentary
Read More: Statewide Teacher Contract Will Destroy The Teaching Profession In PennsylvaniaEducation
The Pennsylvania State Education Association: Compelling Teachers, Lobbying Politicians, and Increasing Taxes
Executive Summary Originally founded as the Pennsylvania State Teachers Association in 1852, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) has transformed itself from a professional development organization for educators into one…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Pennsylvania State Education Association: Compelling Teachers, Lobbying Politicians, and Increasing TaxesPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania Businesses Can Now Spend Less Time In The Courtroom
By their very nature, businesspeople are willing to take significant risks to compete in the marketplace. Indeed, every day the profit motive compels people to invest their life savings in…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania Businesses Can Now Spend Less Time In The Courtroom