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Public Union Democracy
Teachers’ Unions Influence and the Politics of Education
Get ready for a riveting episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report! Host David Osborne is joined by The Daily Signal Investigative Columnist and WIBC radio host Tony Kennett for…
Read More: Teachers’ Unions Influence and the Politics of EducationCompulsory 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
Where do Union Dues Go?
Here is a great new video from the Competitive Enterprise Institute tracking the use of union dues. In forced-union states like Pennsylvania—in which employees can be required to join…
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Read More: Where do Union Dues Go?Public Union Democracy
School Union Continues to Deceive Its Members
Matt wrote earlier about the millions of dollars public sector unions have poured in political campaigns to get their union pension bailout.
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Read More: School Union Continues to Deceive Its MembersGovernment Accountability
Newspapers Decry Union Pension Bailout by Lame Duck PA House
Today, Speaker McCall called the Pennsylvania House back into voting session on November 15th. Members are expected to vote a couple of key pieces of legislation including the ill-conceived…
Media
Read More: Newspapers Decry Union Pension Bailout by Lame Duck PA HouseEducation
Bethel Park Teachers Strike
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported that Bethel Park teachers were on strike for the sixth time in thirty years. Interrupting classes in order to negotiate taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits…
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Are More Educational Options in PA’s Future?
Both gubernatorial candidates have voiced support for government-funded grants to allow parents to choose an alternative school for their children. Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, is…
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Read More: Are More Educational Options in PA’s Future?Government Accountability
Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest Agenda
Earlier this year, we blogged on HB 2246, which would have allowed trial lawyers in auto cases to suggest the amount of compensation their plaintiffs should receive for their…
Media
Read More: Grassroots Activists Battle Special Interest AgendaEducation
Teachers and their Unions, Part II
This is another look raising legitimate questions as to how, or even if, teacher unions can reasonably be said to recommend their members which, of course, they maintain they do. …
Commentary
Read More: Teachers and their Unions, Part IIPublic Union Democracy
How Could this Not Increase Costs?
The Tribune Review writes today about a project labor agreement (PLA) that Allegheny County Chief Executive (and Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate) Dan Onorato is taking some flak for. Amazingly, a…
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Read More: How Could this Not Increase Costs?Education
Teachers and Their Unions
Teacher unions like to say they represent their members and look out for their best interests, including protecting their rights to speak out without reprisal. Teachers are by the nature…
Commentary
Read More: Teachers and Their UnionsEducation
Who Got PSEA Money?
The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) remains one of the most powerful special interest groups in Harrisburg, whether it be fighting school choice and merit pay for teachers,…
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Read More: Who Got PSEA Money?Public Union Democracy
Time to Exit Rendell’s Road to Higher Taxes
Governor Rendell has proposed a series of tax increases to fill a $415 million transportation funding deficit created when the federal government rejected his plan to toll I-80 for a…
Commentary
Read More: Time to Exit Rendell’s Road to Higher TaxesPublic Union Democracy
When Unions get Violent
Last Wednesday, men clutching baseball bats attacked construction workers at the King of Prussia mall outside Philadelphia. Workers arriving to the site of the new Toys-R-Us store found their…
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Politics Making a Mess of Education
It appears Gov. Rendell has succeeded in getting an increase in education spending for the FY 2010-11 budget. Despite the fact that enrollment is down across the Commonwealth…
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A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania
A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania identifies opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-11 budget. The report also offers…
Report
Read More: A Taxpayer’s Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for PennsylvaniaEducation
The True Beneficiaries of Education Subsidies
Gov. Rendell's budget once again demands significant increases in public school spending. Ostensibly, these increases are "for the children," but a close examination of education spending and policy proposals reveals…
Commentary
Read More: The True Beneficiaries of Education SubsidiesGovernment Accountability
PA Teacher Unions Endorse Reduced Pension Benefits, Deferring Contributions
An amendment to the pension deferral bill in the Pennsylvania House would reduce the retirement benefits for new state and school employees, but would continue Gov. Rendell’s proposed…
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Read More: PA Teacher Unions Endorse Reduced Pension Benefits, Deferring ContributionsGovernment Accountability
Why Every Teacher Should Stop Paying PSEA Dues
A couple of stories about Pennsylvania’s pension crisis reveal some crazy talk (HT Grassroots PA). First, in an article covering some proposed reforms, Gov. Rendell claims gambling will…
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Read More: Why Every Teacher Should Stop Paying PSEA DuesPublic Union Democracy
Public Sector Unions and Rent-Seeking
Last week, Nathan Benefield blogged how the average public sector employee earns a 34% higher salary and 66% more in employer benefits than the average private sector employee.
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Are Government Workers Underpaid?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has a new report showing state and local government workers earn far more than their private sector counterparts. The Wall Street Journal…
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Read More: Are Government Workers Underpaid?Public Union Democracy
CF Joins Coalition Opposing Bailout of Union Pensions
The Commonwealth Foundation joined with 50 other organizations in opposing using taxpayer funds to bailout private pensions; see the news release from Americans for Tax Reform. Two separate bills,…
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Read More: CF Joins Coalition Opposing Bailout of Union PensionsPublic Union Democracy
Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a crucial piece of legislation – a resolution honoring our old “friend” Bill George, outgoing head of the PA AFL-CIO. What…
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