Compulsory 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

Unions Pouring Big Money in Pennsylvania Elections

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 27, 2014

As we’ve pointed out in the past, unions—often using campaign contributions collected at taxpayer expense—dominate political spending and electioneering. Well, the first campaign…

Media

Read More: Unions Pouring Big Money in Pennsylvania Elections

Public Union Democracy

Media Attention for Paycheck Protection

  • February 21, 2014

Our new paycheck protection survey released this week has Pennsylvania talking. Why? The results show union members overwhelmingly agree that taxpayer resources shouldn’t be used for their unions’ politics. …

Media

Read More: Media Attention for Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Big Labor’s Billions Targeting PA

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 20, 2014

Unions are spending millions on politics, and drumming up issues like a minimum wage increase, solely to win some elections, the New York Times reports today. Union leaders are…

Media

Read More: Big Labor’s Billions Targeting PA

Public Union Democracy

Plagiarism: Union Style

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • February 19, 2014

Several letters to the editor opposing paycheck protection—ostensibly written by different teachers—have appeared in newspapers around the state. Their suspicious similarity provides a valuable lesson in a practice typically frowned…

Media

Read More: Plagiarism: Union Style

Government Accountability

Union Spokesmen Still Lying About Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 19, 2014

Yesterday, I pointed out that union leaders would use every bogeyman and slogan in their playbook rather than explain why taxpayers should collect their political money. As if on…

Media

Read More: Union Spokesmen Still Lying About Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Union Members Support Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 18, 2014

Last week, my colleague Bob wrote in the Patriot News that union leaders are waging a “war on truth” by attacking paycheck protection but ignoring the real issue: whether…

Media

Read More: Union Members Support Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Survey: Union Members Overwhelmingly SUPPORT Paycheck Protection!

  • February 18, 2014

For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Survey: Union Members Overwhelmingly SUPPORT Paycheck Protection! Large majority want unions, not government, to collect their dues and…

Press Release

Read More: Survey: Union Members Overwhelmingly SUPPORT Paycheck Protection!

Public Union Democracy

A War on Truth

  • February 14, 2014

Should you be forced to subsidize government union politics? That’s the question asked by a reform gaining steam in Harrisburg called paycheck protection. But you wouldn’t know it by listening…

Commentary

Read More: A War on Truth

Public Union Democracy

Local Governments Push for Paycheck Protection

  • February 10, 2014

We’ve already highlighted the national attention paycheck protection received from the Wall Street Journal and Investor’s Business Daily. Now local governments in Pennsylvania are pushing for an end to…

Media

Read More: Local Governments Push for Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Sen. Alloway Talks Paycheck Protection on the Lincoln Radio Journal

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 6, 2014

Senator Richard Alloway sat down with host David Taylor and CF‘s Matt Brouillette on a recent Lincoln Radio Journal to discuss what paycheck protection would mean for Pennsylvania. Senator Alloway explains how…

Media

Read More: Sen. Alloway Talks Paycheck Protection on the Lincoln Radio Journal

Public Union Democracy

Are All Paycheck Deductions Created Equal?

  • February 3, 2014

Opponents of “paycheck protection” are desperate to preserve their exclusive legal and political privilege, which is evident by their use of specious arguments designed to confuse and distract. For example,…

Media

Read More: Are All Paycheck Deductions Created Equal?

Public Union Democracy

Consensus Growing on Paycheck Protection

  • January 31, 2014

Earlier this week, we spotlighted editorials from the Wall Street Journal and Investor’s Business Daily urging Pennsylvania to pass paycheck protection legislation. While national attention raises awareness of this…

Media

Read More: Consensus Growing on Paycheck Protection

Public Union Democracy

Should Public Resources be Used to Collect Political Money?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 29, 2014

My letter to the editor in the Carlisle Sentinel attempts to cut through all the rhetoric and ad hominem attacks by getting straight to the point regarding the debate…

Media

Read More: Should Public Resources be Used to Collect Political Money?

Government Accountability

Unions Stage Political Rally (Funded with Taxpayer-Collected Union Dues)

  • January 28, 2014

This morning, union bosses and hundreds of union members stormed the Capitol to protect their unfair political privilege. Threatened by legislation that would level the playing field—ending the taxpayer-funded collection…

Media

Read More: Unions Stage Political Rally (Funded with Taxpayer-Collected Union Dues)

Government Accountability

Government Unions Bosses United for Political Attack Ads

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 28, 2014

Politics PA reported last week that a group called “Americans United for Change” is targeting four Pennsylvania Congressmen (Charlie Dent, Joe Pitts, Mike Fitzpatrick, and Pat Meehan) in their…

Media

Read More: Government Unions Bosses United for Political Attack Ads

Public Union Democracy

Big Labor Scares Workers, Storms Capitol

  • January 28, 2014

For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Gov. Unions Rally to Defend the Indefensible While Supporters of Paycheck Protection Defend Workers’ Rights January 28, 2014, HARRISBURG, Pa—Government…

Press Release

Read More: Big Labor Scares Workers, Storms Capitol

Public Union Democracy

National, State Teachers’ Unions Don’t Talk to Teachers

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 27, 2014

A survey of National Education Association (NEA) members, summarized by the Educational Intelligence Agency, reveals most teacher union members never hear from state and national union officials. While most…

Media

Read More: National, State Teachers’ Unions Don’t Talk to Teachers

Government Accountability

Paycheck Protection Garners National Attention

  • January 27, 2014

The effort to protect Pennsylvania’s union members and taxpayers from union bosses is grabbing national attention in major papers. Both the Wall Street Journal (paywall) and Investor’s Business…

Media

Read More: Paycheck Protection Garners National Attention

Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania Next in Union Crosshairs

  • Nathan Benefield, Priya Brannick
  • January 24, 2014

Government union leaders are ramping up their attack messaging machine in Pennsylvania and planning a rally to bully state lawmakers as they did in Wisconsin and Michigan. But…

Media

Read More: Pennsylvania Next in Union Crosshairs

Government Accountability

Answering the Critics About Paycheck Protection

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 23, 2014

Under current law and contracts, it’s permissible for a school district’s personnel office to act as the collection agent for Political Action Committee contributions and membership dues…

Memo

Read More: Answering the Critics About Paycheck Protection