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
Gov. Union Executives Ignore Law, Harm Workers & Taxpayers
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Gov. Union Executives Ignore Law, Harm Workers and Taxpayers Play Fast and Loose With Members’ Money, Fail to Register as…
Press Release
Read More: Gov. Union Executives Ignore Law, Harm Workers & TaxpayersPublic Union Democracy
Top 5 Reasons We Need a Paycheck Protection Law
Occasionally I get asked why we need a state law preventing taxpayer resources from being used to collect union political money (“paycheck protection“), when local government can choose to…
Media
Read More: Top 5 Reasons We Need a Paycheck Protection LawPublic Union Democracy
Paycheck Protection Debate Heats Up
In the statewide debate over paycheck protection, a pair of dueling letters to the editor in Lancaster County cut to the chase. First, a Mount Joy resident who received a…
Media
Read More: Paycheck Protection Debate Heats UpPublic Union Democracy
CBS Investigates: Government Unions & Politics
Last night, CBS 21’s Waste Watch program investigated how government unions use public resources to collect their members’ dues and spend that money on politics. Chris Papst reports: “Government…
Media
Read More: CBS Investigates: Government Unions & PoliticsPublic Union Democracy
What’s Paycheck Protection Really All About?
A lot of ink has been spilled on paycheck protection already, but few people have summarized its essence as well as my colleague Katrina Anderson, CF’s Director of Government Affairs,…
Media
Read More: What’s Paycheck Protection Really All About?Government Accountability
Government Unions’ Political Power Grows
Despite claims that union dues aren’t used for politics, the amount Pennsylvania’s five largest government unions reported spending from union dues on “political activities and lobbying” increased in…
Media
Read More: Government Unions’ Political Power GrowsPublic Union Democracy
Government Unions’ Political Spending
Currently, state and local governments, including school districts, use taxpayer-funded payroll systems and public employee time to collect union campaign contributions to candidates as well as union membership dues, a…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Government Unions’ Political SpendingPublic Union Democracy
Super PACs Supersize Union Political Spending
Super PACs are elbowing into state elections, promising to supersize the already dominating role unions play in electoral politics. Effectively, Super PACs can collect and spend an unlimited amount of…
Commentary
Read More: Super PACs Supersize Union Political SpendingPublic Union Democracy
Are Teachers’ Union Dues Used for Politics?
Did you see the PSEA’s latest Voice magazine? It features a full two-page article, claiming, among other things, that “no dues money is given to candidates.” This is true…
Media
Read More: Are Teachers’ Union Dues Used for Politics?Public Union Democracy
Resolved: Pass Paycheck Protection
Across Pennsylvania, elected officials are passing resolutions urging the state legislature to act on paycheck protection legislation. Below is a list of bold government leaders who’ve resolved to do what…
Commentary
Read More: Resolved: Pass Paycheck ProtectionPublic Union Democracy
Union Bosses? Paycheck Protection Deceptions
CF President Matt Brouillette and Simon Campbell of Pennsylvanians for Union Reform recently appeared on Business Matters to debate government union bosses Wendell Young IV of UFCW 1776…
Media
Read More: Union Bosses? Paycheck Protection DeceptionsEducation
Time for Paycheck Protection in Pa
The government liquor monopoly, the pension time bomb, and Philadelphia’s public school crisis—what do they have in common? Each of these public policy disasters was supported by government unions. What’s…
Commentary
Read More: Time for Paycheck Protection in PaPublic Union Democracy
Senator Uses Public Money for Politics — So What?
All this hyperventilating over allegations that State Senator LeAnna Washington’s summer birthday bash included some surreptitious use of taxpayer resources for campaign fundraising is really a…
Media
Read More: Senator Uses Public Money for Politics — So What?Public Union Democracy
Gov. Union Politics Harm Employees and Taxpayers
Government unions aren’t about fighting for public employees and workers any more — they’ve become political operations with agendas that harm both their members and taxpayers. Americans, and even…
Commentary
Read More: Gov. Union Politics Harm Employees and TaxpayersPublic Union Democracy
Super PAC will Super Size Union Dues in Politics
You may have read articles about a federal judge allowing a “Super PAC” to operate in Pennsylvania to attack Republicans. Effectively, Super PACs can collect and spend unlimited amounts…
Media
Read More: Super PAC will Super Size Union Dues in PoliticsGovernment Accountability
State House to Tackle Union Violence
Federal charges of racketeering and arson against several Philadelphia union members, who called themselves The Helpful Union Guys (or T.H.U.G.s) has renewed interest in closing a loophole in…
Media
Read More: State House to Tackle Union ViolencePublic Union Democracy
Union Dues Still Fund Politics & Union Members Don’t Like It
Last night, I spoke with ABC 27 about polling that shows the vast majority of union household support ending taxpayer collection of union political money. See the video…
Media
Read More: Union Dues Still Fund Politics & Union Members Don’t Like ItEducation
The $1 Billion Lie Exposed
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) took out full-page, color ads in several major state newspapers last week proclaiming Gov. Corbett “closed neighborhood schools” and laid off teachers in Philadelphia…
Media
Read More: The $1 Billion Lie ExposedPublic Union Democracy
CF Calls Out Union Ad Campaign’s Deceptions
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 National Teachers’ Union Fibs in Political Attack Ad Uses taxpayer resources to do it March 4, 2014, HARRISBURG, PA—Today,…
Press Release
Read More: CF Calls Out Union Ad Campaign’s DeceptionsPublic Union Democracy
Plagiarism: Union Style (Part 2)
A recent letter to the editor in reaction to my op-ed on paycheck protection starts: I live in the Malvern area, served 24 years in the military and…
Media
Read More: Plagiarism: Union Style (Part 2)Public Union Democracy
Why Paycheck Protection is Needed Now
On February 6th, Commissioner Mark Scott and I voted to support employee paycheck protection by passing resolution 41.14. With all the important issues facing Berks County, why have we chosen to…
Commentary
Read More: Why Paycheck Protection is Needed Now