Fairness
Unions at a Crossroads: Democracy, Transparency, and Bridging Divides
Jake Altman, author of Socialism before Sanders, joins Disunion: The Government Union Report podcast host David R. Osborne to discuss labor unions and their challenges. Altman, a former union leader,…
Read More: Unions at a Crossroads: Democracy, Transparency, and Bridging DividesCompulsory public unions threaten individual worker rights and cost taxpayers billions. Reforms to the Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act are needed to restore and protect workers’ rights. No one—including government employees—should be blocked from leaving a union. To increase government integrity and accountability, policies should be adopted that ensure all special interests groups, including government unions, interact with the state government on a level playing field.
Public Union Democracy
Restoring Worker Voting Rights
Most Pa. public sector employees have never voted for their union. They deserve to gain the right to regularly vote for their workplace representation.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Restoring Worker Voting RightsCriminal Justice Reform
Spending Trends & Policy Developments Under Gov. Wolf
In the last four years Pennsylvania has experienced rapid state spending growth. On the plus side, constant tax hike proposals have been largely rejected and policies like pension reform, school…
Memo
Read More: Spending Trends & Policy Developments Under Gov. WolfPublic Union Democracy
Resigning from a Government Union is No Easy Task
Want to join a union? Easy, just sign on the dotted line. Want to leave a union? Sharpen your research skills, because it's no easy task. This fact was made…
Media
Read More: Resigning from a Government Union is No Easy TaskPublic Union Democracy
Government Workers’ Rights Restored
In Janus v. AFSCME, the Supreme Court righted a decades-old wrong, striking down a coercive system and clearing a pathway for 330,000 Pennsylvania government workers to regain their long-denied First…
Commentary
Read More: Government Workers’ Rights RestoredPublic Union Democracy
More States Reject Prevailing Wage Mandates
Last month, Michigan took a step forward and joined 24 other states that have no prevailing wage law. Could Pennsylvania be the next? For far too long, Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage…
Media
Read More: More States Reject Prevailing Wage MandatesEducation
Statement on 2018 AFT Convention
Commonwealth Foundation VP and COO Nathan Benefield issued the following statement regarding the American Federation of Teachers convention taking place in Pittsburgh this weekend. The convention’s keynote speakers on Friday,…
Press Release
Read More: Statement on 2018 AFT ConventionPublic Union Democracy
Protect the Right to a Union Secret Ballot Election
In Janus v. AFSCME, the Supreme Court stopped the unjust arrangement of forcing public sector workers to fund the political stances of a union they didn’t join. Instead of embracing…
Media
Read More: Protect the Right to a Union Secret Ballot ElectionGovernment Accountability
Should Taxpayers Underwrite Union Work?
Separating taxpayer resources from private or political purposes is a principle ingrained in our society. It's one of the many reasons Pennsylvania politicians have spent a significant amount of time…
Media
Read More: Should Taxpayers Underwrite Union Work?Education
What does Janus mean for school choice?
On June 27th, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a historic ruling in Janus v. AFSCME. The 5-4 decision found that forcing public sector workers to pay union fees—or lose their jobs—violates their…
Media
Read More: What does Janus mean for school choice?Public Union Democracy
Janus v. AFSCME: SCOTUS Upholds Workers’ Rights
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld workers’ rights. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that forcing public sector workers to pay union fees—or lose their…
Media
Read More: Janus v. AFSCME: SCOTUS Upholds Workers’ RightsPublic 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 PayPublic 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 TeachersPublic 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 PACs