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
Pennsylvania Needs Good Government Reform
Pennsylvanians deserve state and local government that enforces ethical standards across the board. Yet for years, a glaring exception has allowed government union leaders alone to use public resources to…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania Needs Good Government ReformPublic Union Democracy
Four Reasons to Pass SB 166
A House committee passed SB 166 last month to end taxpayer-funded collection of campaign money. Here are four reasons this legislation should garner the full support of House members…
Media
Read More: Four Reasons to Pass SB 166Public Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Toolkit
Currently, state and local governments, including school districts, use taxpayer-funded payroll systems and public employee time to collect union campaign contributions as well as union membership dues, a portion of…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Paycheck Protection ToolkitPublic Union Democracy
Political Privileges Create an Unfair and Unequal Society
In Pennsylvania, government unions enjoy a wealth of legal and political privileges not awarded to other organizations. Here are just a few: Government unions negotiate collective bargaining agreements with the…
Media
Read More: Political Privileges Create an Unfair and Unequal SocietyPublic Union Democracy
Why Government Should Not Play with Politics
Government should never collect campaign contributions. House committee members agreed yesterday, passing legislation (SB 166 and HB 1174) that stops the taxpayer-funded collection of campaign contributions for government…
Media
Read More: Why Government Should Not Play with PoliticsPublic Union Democracy
State House Committee Votes to Protect Public Resources
Today, the House State Government Committee passed legislation that protects public resources, a good government reform prioritizing ethics over political privilege. The first piece of legislation, SB 166, prohibits…
Media
Read More: State House Committee Votes to Protect Public ResourcesPublic Union Democracy
Ending Taxpayer-Funded Collection of Campaign Contributions
The House State Government Committee recently advanced SB 166, which restores integrity to an unfair system by stopping taxpayer-funded collection and distribution of campaign contributions for any entity. We explain…
Memo
Read More: Ending Taxpayer-Funded Collection of Campaign ContributionsEducation
Another Step Forward for Kids
Governor Wolf allowed HB 178, an act amending Pennsylvania’s Public School Code, to become law on Sunday. The bill is a big win for Pennsylvania's families. It includes three…
Media
Read More: Another Step Forward for KidsEducation
School Reforms Put Families and Students First
State lawmakers embraced a trio of significant reforms with the passage of HB 178—an act amending Pennsylvania’s Public School Code. The legislation would expand a popular scholarship program, protect…
Media
Read More: School Reforms Put Families and Students FirstGovernment Accountability
Union Advantages Yield Undue Influence
In today’s political landscape big money is usually associated with corporations and industries like oil or gas, however, government unions are the most advantaged special interest in Pennsylvania. CF’s Nathan…
Media
Read More: Union Advantages Yield Undue InfluenceEducation
Gov. Wolf Reverses Unlawful Moves
Admist the budget stalemate, there is some welcome news out of Harrisburg. Within a single week, thousands of home care workers, educators, and taxpayers were relieved from the governor’s punitive…
Media
Read More: Gov. Wolf Reverses Unlawful MovesPublic Union Democracy
Good News for Forced Union Fee Payers
For public employees forced to subsidize union politics—or lose their jobs—a U.S. Supreme Court announcement yesterday signals a potential end to this workplace coercion. The Court indicated it will…
Media
Read More: Good News for Forced Union Fee PayersPublic Union Democracy
Major Win for Taxpayers in Allentown Ghost Teaching Fight
The free ride is over for one local teachers' union. This week, The Morning Call reported on a major change to ghost teaching in the Allentown School District. The…
Media
Read More: Major Win for Taxpayers in Allentown Ghost Teaching FightEducation
Diverse Students Need Diverse Choices
Were a doctor to give every patient an aspirin regardless of their diagnosis, most would consider the doctor unqualified. Sure, the patients with a fever or a headache might be satisfied, but…
Media
Read More: Diverse Students Need Diverse ChoicesPublic Union Democracy
UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV Ads
Pennsylvania’s Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has persistently generated corruption scandals as it manages the state-run liquor system. Now, the loudest advocate for retaining this inefficient and unpopular…
Media
Read More: UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV AdsPublic Union Democracy
News Release: Majority of Union Employees Want Worker Voting Rights
Regular elections are foundational to representative democracy. Yet thousands of Pennsylvanians who work in the public sector are bound by a single vote held more than four decades ago to…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Majority of Union Employees Want Worker Voting RightsPublic Union Democracy
Erie Suspends Costly Ghost Teaching
Someone in Erie must have called the ghostbusters. Last August, the Erie School District and the Erie Education Association signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ending ghost teaching in…
Media
Read More: Erie Suspends Costly Ghost TeachingEducation
News Release: Wolf Rewards Ghost Teacher, Union Campaign Contributor with Cabinet Nomination
Failing to show up for work is usually grounds for dismissal, but for Gov. Wolf, it’s reason for promotion. In nominating Jerry Oleksiak as the next Secretary of Labor &…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Wolf Rewards Ghost Teacher, Union Campaign Contributor with Cabinet NominationPublic Union Democracy
New Home Healthcare Scheme from Wolf Administration
Despite having his home health care executive order struck down by the Commonwealth Court last year, Gov. Wolf seems intent on funneling state money to his pals at the Service…
Media
Read More: New Home Healthcare Scheme from Wolf AdministrationEducation
Op-Ed: Contract Secrecy Plagues Public Schools
Taxpayers were kept in the dark, only to be slipped a $395 million bill—along with the admission that there’s no way to pay for it—at the 11th hour. These secret…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Contract Secrecy Plagues Public SchoolsPublic Union Democracy
Ghost Teachers Exposed by NBC Philadelphia
The ghost teaching phenomenon is continuing to garner major media coverage—this time, a multi-part NBC10 Philadelphia investigation. Investigative reporter Mitch Blacher gets to the bottom of union work on school…
Media
Read More: Ghost Teachers Exposed by NBC Philadelphia