Public Union Democracy
The Battle for Worker Freedom: How Government Unions Fund Politics Across the Country
Key Findings During the 2023–24 election cycle, the four biggest public sector unions—the National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and American Federation…
Read More: The Battle for Worker Freedom: How Government Unions Fund Politics Across the CountryCompulsory 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
Audio: Teachers & Taxpayers Still Need Paycheck Protection
It’s important to note—especially during election season—that one group of private organizations has an advantage over all others when it comes to funding their political agenda. That group is public…
Media
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What are Their Priorities?
At at time when teachers are complaining about having to buy school supplies for their students, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) reported spending $3,764,154 from union dues…
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Victory for Student Safety
In an important step for safety in the classroom, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a bill that will put an end to the abhorrent practice of “passing the…
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Teachers Pay the Price for their Unions’ Politics
CF recently attended a Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) rally with the goal of bringing our message directly to the teachers and families of Philadelphia. What exactly is our…
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Unions Bankroll Candidates on the Backs of Taxpayers
Government unions have not been reluctant to use their exclusive political privilege to finance candidates this election cycle. According to an AP analysis, four of the top ten…
Media
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Audio: PFT Fails Students, Teachers & the Poor
Matt Brouillette and other members of Commonwealth Foundation were on the ground at the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) protest yesterday, handing out fliers and letting teachers know how PFT…
Media
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How the PFT Fails Philadelphia
By standing in the way of tens of millions of new dollars for Philadelphia classrooms, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) has revealed its true identity—a self-interested,…
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How PFT Fails Philadelphia Students, Teachers & the Poor
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 PFT Leaders Use Students & Teachers as Pawns in a Political Game Leaders Block Millions of Dollars from the…
Press Release
Read More: How PFT Fails Philadelphia Students, Teachers & the PoorPublic Union Democracy
Yesterday’s Paycheck Protection Vote
Thanks to your voices, yesterday afternoon the state Senate suddenly voted on an aspect of “paycheck protection.” Senator Scott Wagner proposed an amendment yesterday that would end the taxpayer-funded collection…
Media
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How PFT Fails Phila. Students & Teachers Revealed at Union Rally Tomorrow
PFT’s Failings Highlighted at Union Rally Tomorrow Union Leaders Playing Politics with Children’s Futures At tomorrow’s union rally in Philadelphia, Commonwealth Foundation will be distributing informational fliers to…
Press Release
Read More: How PFT Fails Phila. Students & Teachers Revealed at Union Rally TomorrowEducation
PFT/AFT: Politics Before Health Care
The recent decision by the Philadelphia School Reform Commission (SRC) to cancel the school district’s contract with the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT)—and require teachers to pay up to 13…
Media
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Union-Backed Report Rife with Hypocrisy
Three union-affiliated groups released a report alleging that Pennsylvania charter schools defrauded taxpayers to the tune of $30 million since 1997. Predictably, this story has been greeted…
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School Funding Doublespeak
How can school funding be “slashed” yet “technically rise”? Take a look at this excerpt from a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, (emphasis mine): Education funding to…
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Teachers Sue PSEA in Landmark Case
Jane Ladley was a special education teacher in Chester County for more than 25 years until she retired this year. She may have left teaching, but she has a bone…
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Employees Lose Under PA’s Public Pension Systems
Most workers are shortchanged by Pennsylvania’s public employee pension programs, according to two recent studies. The Urban Institute gives Pennsylvania’s State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) an “F”…
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Is This What Democracy Looks Like?
An astounding 93 percent of union members had no role in choosing the union currently representing them, according to a new report authored by Dr. Daniel DiSalvo of the…
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Union Executives “Neutral” on Protecting Children
Legislation to protect children from predators in the classroom has stalled in Harrisburg. Union executives are standing in the way. Currently, teachers who sexually abuse or have…
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Lies from PSEA Leadership
Repeating the same lie over and over does not make it magically come true. Yet this hasn’t stopped the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) leadership from an…
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Union Lobbying Holds Back Lottery Performance
Illinois’s decision to terminate its lottery private management agreement with Northstar is being misinterpreted as proof that Pennsylvania dodged a bullet by failing to approve a private lottery management…
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Education Spending Poll
Nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania voters underestimate the amount the state spends on education. And when informed of the facts, support for boosting education funding by hiking taxes dropped significantly.
Poll
Read More: Education Spending PollPublic Union Democracy
Audio: 81% in PA Support Employee Freedom
Should workers be penalized for leaving a union? 81 percent of Pennsylvanians say “no.” So why hasn’t a policy change happened to free workers from having to pay a…
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