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

Disappointing Results from State Union Contract Deals

  • Priya Brannick
  • July 5, 2011

So far, the Corbett administration has concluded new four-year contracts with Pennsylvania’s two largest state worker unions, which represent 55,000 government workers—and the taxpayers are the losers.  The deals with…

Media

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Education

Do Seven Rapes Get Your Attention?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 27, 2011

Today, CF delivered Life Savers to state legislators to remind them they still have three days to be a life-saver for kids in failing and violent schools.  One…

Media

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Government Accountability

Pennsylvania State Government Union Contracts

  • June 21, 2011

On June 30, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August.  These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation from…

Fact Sheet

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Education

Children Can’t Wait for PSEA to “Fix” Violent, Failing Schools

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • June 16, 2011

The PSEA sent a memo to the House of Representatives discouraging legislators from sponsoring legislation that would throw lifelines to children in violent, failing schools.  I also sent the following…

Media

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Education

How Taxpayers are Funding Big Labor’s Education Failures

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Nathan Benefield
  • June 16, 2011

More than $92 million in taxpayer dollars for public education is being funneled through school districts back to these special interest groups, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and…

Commentary

Read More: How Taxpayers are Funding Big Labor’s Education Failures

Public Union Democracy

Shippensburg Asks for Prevailing Wage Relief

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 14, 2011

Shippensburg Borough Council recently passed a resolution asking for state relief from prevailing wage mandates.  Prevailing wage mandates were imposed 50 years ago in Pennsylvania, following federal Davis-Bacon Act…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Pennsylvania’s State Union Contracts

  • June 2, 2011

On June 30, 2011, 15 of the state's 19 government union contracts expire, with two more expiring in August. These 19 public sector unions represent 62,271 state employees, whose compensation…

Fact Sheet

Read More: Pennsylvania’s State Union Contracts

Education

Pa. Education – A State of Emergency

  • June 1, 2011

At the start of our nation, founding father John Adams was as concerned with the positive development of our offspring as he was with that of the republic.  Seeing the…

Commentary

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Education

Oh Yeah, Those Guys

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 26, 2011

My letter to the Philadelphia Daily News: Will Bunch’s recent article identifies wealthy Americans who are voluntary donating their money to push greater school choice.  Bunch fails…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation Reforms

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 23, 2011

By June 11th, the state must change its unemployment compensation rules to meet federal guidelines, or 45,000 Pennsylvanians will lose their unemployment benefits. Gov. Corbett has been supportive of more…

Media

Read More: PA Legislators Consider Unemployment Compensation Reforms

Education

The Governor is Right and the Union Bosses are Wrong

  • Charles Mitchell
  • May 11, 2011

I’m in Pittsburgh today, but I can hear the shouting in Harrisburg from here:  Union bosses are hopping mad at Gov. Tom Corbett for calling them out in his…

Media

Read More: The Governor is Right and the Union Bosses are Wrong

Education

Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • May 11, 2011

Today, the Pennsylvania Senate passed SB 612 by a 38-12 count. The bill, sponsored by Senator Folmer, would give school districts the ability to furlough teachers and other school…

Media

Read More: Senate Passes Furlough Bill, but Keeps “Last In First Out”

Education

School Taxpayer Referendum & Property Tax Relief

  • April 22, 2011

Gov. Tom Corbett's FY 2011-12 budget proposal includes $63.6 billion in total operating spending—$27.3 billion in General Fund spending—a reduction of $3.3 billion from FY 2010-11. This budget restores overall…

Fact Sheet

Read More: School Taxpayer Referendum & Property Tax Relief

Public Union Democracy

Taxpayers First: The New, New Deal

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • April 7, 2011

Today, the average government employee enjoys better health care benefits, better pensions, better job security, and an earlier retirement than the average private-sector worker.  To pay for this, however, taxpayers…

Commentary

Read More: Taxpayers First: The New, New Deal

Education

Public Policy and Free Enterprise in Pennsylvania

  • Nathan Benefield
  • April 5, 2011

Public Policy and Free Enterprise in Pennsylvania represents a partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation and the department of economics at Duquesne University.  Key findings in these five papers include Over…

Commentary

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Public Union Democracy

Prevailing Wage in Pennsylvania

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • March 22, 2011

Thank you, Chairman Miller and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify. I’m Matt Brouillette, President and CEO of the Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives, a nonprofit…

Testimony

Read More: Prevailing Wage in Pennsylvania

Education

Enacting Effective Merit Pay

  • March 21, 2011

Merit pay for teachers, proposed by Gov. Tom Corbett in his budget address, would tie teacher salaries to student progress, instead of increasing salaries annually regardless of performance. Only…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Streamlining State Government

  • March 15, 2011

Pennsylvania businesses must navigate a complex web of regulations from more than 340 independent state agencies, offices, state departments, boards, commissions, and committees stemming from the executive branch. Several other…

Report

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Public Union Democracy

Streamlining State Government Testimony

  • Nathan Benefield
  • March 15, 2011

Thank you Chairman Smucker and members of the committee for the opportunity to testify before you today.  I’m Nate Benefield, Director of Policy Research at the Commonwealth Foundation for…

Testimony

Read More: Streamlining State Government Testimony

Public Union Democracy

The Tide Against Public Sector Collective Bargaining

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • February 18, 2011

Earlier this week, I blogged on state bankruptcy and how some believe budget problems can be solved if states are willing to challenge the…

Media

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