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.
Education
Political Fairness Issue Goes Before Lawmakers
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Legal Loophole Exploits Taxpayers & Union Members for Politics Paycheck Protection Promises to Restore Fairness & Accountability June 5,…
Press Release
Read More: Political Fairness Issue Goes Before LawmakersPublic Union Democracy
Capitol Rally an Outcry for Fairness: The Facts on Paycheck Protection
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Capitol Rally Reflects Public Outcry for Fairness Lawmakers to Hear Testimony on Paycheck Protection Tomorrow June 4, 2014, Harrisburg, Pa—Today,…
Press Release
Read More: Capitol Rally an Outcry for Fairness: The Facts on Paycheck ProtectionPublic Union Democracy
Union Quietly Admits to Using Dues for Politics
Whenever we talk about how teacher and other government unions spend their members’ dues on politics, the most common reaction we hear is that simply isn’t true. Workers often hear…
Media
Read More: Union Quietly Admits to Using Dues for PoliticsEducation
Pension Reform Benefits Teachers & Taxpayers
Standard & Poor’s recently issued a stern warning that they would lower Pennsylvania’s bond rating—making it more expensive for the state to borrow money—unless they “adopt meaningful pension reform.” This…
Commentary
Read More: Pension Reform Benefits Teachers & TaxpayersPublic Union Democracy
Power Cycle Preventing Progress
In a recent Philadelphia Inquirer editorial, the paper expressed its frustration with the lack of progress on critical issues facing the commonwealth. While CF doesn’t agree that all of…
Media
Read More: Power Cycle Preventing ProgressEducation
PA Teacher Speaks Out on Union Issues
Last Wednesday, CF President Matt Brouillette guest hosted WHP580’s Ken Matthews Show in Harrisburg. Matt spent some time talking to Keith Williams, a high school English teacher from New Oxford…
Media
Read More: PA Teacher Speaks Out on Union IssuesPublic Union Democracy
Government Union CEOs Make Their Own Rules
When questioned about why he failed to register as a lobbyist, UFCW president Wendell Young IV excused himself with a special exemption from the law that doesn’t exist. He told…
Media
Read More: Government Union CEOs Make Their Own RulesPublic Union Democracy
Gov. Unions Play Fast & Loose with the Law
They’re exempt from stalking and harassment laws during labor disputes, and they’re allowed to use taxpayer resources to collect money for candidates and political ads on a daily…
Media
Read More: Gov. Unions Play Fast & Loose with the LawPublic 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?