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
How Pennsylvania’s Labor Laws Trap Union Members
Pennsylvania's labor laws keep union members in the dark. Union members rarely have the opportunity to voice their opinion through elections or resign their membership. A lack of transparency makes…
Memo
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Ghost Teachers Cost Allentown Millions
Allentown School District is no stranger to financial troubles. The third largest public school system in the commonwealth has been in financial distress for years. In 2011, the district…
Media
Read More: Ghost Teachers Cost Allentown MillionsPublic Union Democracy
The Pretense of Democratic Unions
Control over the largest local teachers union in Pennsylvania is up for grabs. The Caucus of Working Educators (WE) is challenging the leadership of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers…
Media
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Taxpayer-Funded Union Politics in Philadelphia
It's no secret that the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) plucks teachers out of the classroom to work as full-time union operatives. These individuals are known as ghost teachers—and their…
Media
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State Supremes Strike Down Charter Caps
Pennsylvania’s legislature granted extraordinary powers to Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC) when they created the body in 2001. Tasked with shoring up the district’s finances, the SRC was authorized to suspend…
Media
Read More: State Supremes Strike Down Charter CapsPublic Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Moves Forward in House
Paycheck Protection Moves Forward in House 67 Percent of Likely Voters Want to End Gov. Union Political Privilege January 26, 2016, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Paycheck protection is one step closer…
Press Release
Read More: Paycheck Protection Moves Forward in HouseEducation
Evaluating Pennsylvania’s Charter School Law
In 2015, several states took action to improve the functionality of their public charter school laws. Unfortunately for Pennsylvania’s 130,000 charter students—as well as the thousands of students on currently…
Media
Read More: Evaluating Pennsylvania’s Charter School LawPublic Union Democracy
Attack Ads Funded by Taxpayer-Collected Union Dues
Seeing a political attack ad on TV is nothing new. You probably roll your eyes and change the channel. But what if you learned you unwittingly helped put that ad…
Media
Read More: Attack Ads Funded by Taxpayer-Collected Union DuesPublic Union Democracy
Million-Dollar Ad Attack Ads Funded by Union Dues
Million-Dollar Attack Ads Funded by Taxpayer-Collected Union Dues America Works USA’s Ads Make Case for Paycheck Protection January 21, 2016, Harrisburg, Pa.—Seeing a political attack ad on…
Press Release
Read More: Million-Dollar Ad Attack Ads Funded by Union DuesPublic Union Democracy
The Undemocratic Nature of Government Unions
The Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act (PERA) entrenches compulsory unionism among public sector workers. It stacks the deck in favor of powerful union executives, limiting state workers and teachers…
Fact Sheet
Read More: The Undemocratic Nature of Government UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Voting for Your Union
Imagine if a political party could stay in power for four decades without facing reelection. Thankfully, we have regular elections in this country. But for Pennsylvania teachers, this is reality.
Media
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Give Public Workers the Right to Re-elect
Give Public Workers the Right to Re-elect Less than 1 Percent of Teachers had Chance to Elect Their Union January 19, 2016, Harrisburg, Pa.—As the country prepares for a…
Press Release
Read More: Give Public Workers the Right to Re-electPublic Union Democracy
Bringing Democracy to Pennsylvania Labor Unions
In the public’s eyes, labor unions have traditionally been the voice of working people. However, a closer look at how unions run their own…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Bringing Democracy to Pennsylvania Labor UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Pay Up or Get Fired
Imagine being told you have a choice: Write a check for $450 to an organization you don’t support, or lose your job. For tens of thousands of teachers across Pennsylvania…
Media
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Freedom on the Horizon for Pa. Teachers?
How much money will you have to pay a private political organization just to keep your job this year? If this question sounds ridiculous, that’s because it is—unless you…
Commentary
Read More: Freedom on the Horizon for Pa. Teachers?Public Union Democracy
A Governor’s Resolution List for 2016
Last year, Gov. Tom Wolf promised he would take state government in a “different direction” and grow the middle class. He pledged to do this by making Pennsylvania a magnet for…
Media
Read More: A Governor’s Resolution List for 2016Public Union Democracy
Union Dues Fund New Political Attack Ads
America Works USA launched a new round of political attack ads opposing the latest state budget. These highly misleading ads again talk about “cuts to education.” However, the…
Media
Read More: Union Dues Fund New Political Attack AdsPublic Union Democracy
Tax Hike of Christmas Past?
Given the rumblings of an imminent vote on higher income taxes, it's important to remember what happened 12 years ago (nearly to the day!) with our state budget. Ed Rendell was…
Media
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Philly Union Priorities: Politics over Teachers
How would you feel if your employer took funds meant for your health insurance and spent them on partisan politics? Sadly, this is a reality for thousands of teachers in…
Media
Read More: Philly Union Priorities: Politics over TeachersGovernment Accountability
Union Political Spending in the 2015 Pennsylvania Elections
The problem isn't that unions give a lot, or even that they dominate political spending. The problem is that government union dues and campaign contributions are collected at taxpayer expense…
Memo
Read More: Union Political Spending in the 2015 Pennsylvania ElectionsPublic Union Democracy
Unions’ Pass to Harass Comes to End
Unions' Pass to Harass Comes to End Wolf Signs Bill Closing Union Violence Loophole November 5, 2015, HARRISBURG, Pa.—Eight days after anti-harassment bill HB 874 hit his desk,…
Press Release
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