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
Should Public Resources be Used to Collect Political Money?
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)
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
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 AdsPublic Union Democracy
Big Labor Scares Workers, Storms Capitol
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 CapitolPublic Union Democracy
National, State Teachers’ Unions Don’t Talk to Teachers
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 TeachersGovernment Accountability
Paycheck Protection Garners National Attention
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 AttentionPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania Next in Union Crosshairs
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 CrosshairsGovernment Accountability
Answering the Critics About Paycheck Protection
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 ProtectionEducation
Win for Transparency in Public School Spending
How would you like to know what’s in a teachers’ contract before your school district passes it—and locks in spending—for four years? And how would you like to track how…
Media
Read More: Win for Transparency in Public School SpendingPublic Union Democracy
Myth: Paycheck Protection Affects Firefighters’ Freedom of Speech
According to a WTAJ report in Altoona, there is some concern among firefighters that paycheck protection legislation would silence their voices in Harrisburg. This is wrong on two counts—firefighters…
Media
Read More: Myth: Paycheck Protection Affects Firefighters’ Freedom of SpeechPublic Union Democracy
Prohibition in Pa: 94 Years Old Today and Still Kicking
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Prohibition in PA: 94 Years Old Today and Still Kicking Gov. union leaders keep Pennsylvania stuck in the…
Press Release
Read More: Prohibition in Pa: 94 Years Old Today and Still KickingGovernment Accountability
Fact: Taxpayer Resources Are Being Used for Politics
One of the biggest myths used to oppose paycheck protection is the claim “union dues money can’t be used for politics” despite all evidence…
Media
Read More: Fact: Taxpayer Resources Are Being Used for PoliticsEducation
Paycheck Protection Benefits Teachers and Taxpayers
Pennsylvania’s AFL-CIO union boss Rick Bloomingdale is absolutely right that there is a “war on workers” here in Pennsylvania—he should know, because he is waging it. His recent opinion piece…
Commentary
Read More: Paycheck Protection Benefits Teachers and TaxpayersPublic Union Democracy
Who is Waging a War on Workers?
Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, in an “attack the messenger” approach, accused the Commonwealth Foundation of waging a dastardly “war on workers.” Nothing could be further…
Media
Read More: Who is Waging a War on Workers?Public Union Democracy
Gov. Union Bosses Fight to Control Workers’ Paychecks
For Immediate Release Commonwealth Foundation Contact: 717-671-1901 Government Union Bosses Fight For Control Over Workers’ Paychecks Union Bosses battle to Keep Using Public Resources for…
Press Release
Read More: Gov. Union Bosses Fight to Control Workers’ PaychecksHealth Care
How Government Unions Support Obamacare
Government unions such as the NEA and SEIU lobbied for passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which will raise the cost of health care through various mandates…
Media
Read More: How Government Unions Support ObamacarePublic Union Democracy
Video: Government Unions’ Political Power Cycle
How do government union leaders use their unfair political advantage to promote bad policies? Our latest video looks at how government unions have…
Media
Read More: Video: Government Unions’ Political Power CyclePublic Union Democracy
Government Unions’ Lottery Misinformation Campagin
“Save the PA Lottery,” “Seniors pay the price,” and “Corbett’s secretive scheme” are just a few examples of how government union bosses employed scare tactics to conduct a massive misinformation…
Media
Read More: Government Unions’ Lottery Misinformation CampaginPublic Union Democracy
Poll: Healthy Majority Back Paycheck Protection
Pennsylvanians oppose requiring union members to contribute to political causes antithetical to their beliefs, according to Harper Polling’s year end survey conducted last month. The polling firm asked 604…
Media
Read More: Poll: Healthy Majority Back Paycheck ProtectionEducation
Union Dues Exploit Teachers, Taxpayers
What if I told you that regardless of your political beliefs, several hundred dollars will be deducted from your paycheck each year to support politicians whose views you may not…
Commentary
Read More: Union Dues Exploit Teachers, TaxpayersEducation
Keeping Teachers in the Classroom
Given our still-sputtering economy, Americans have grown used to their public schools facing tight budgets. This fiscal squeeze has drawn out a hidden crisis in public education: How do we…
Commentary
Read More: Keeping Teachers in the Classroom