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
Rent Seeking: Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Musical
“Rent” isn’t just a depressing musical about New Yorkers facing AIDS. It’s also a term economists use to describe the benefits special interests win for themselves in the political…
Media
Read More: Rent Seeking: Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage MusicalPublic Union Democracy
Will the Union Party Win Again?
On Tuesday, everyone in the Capitol anticipated a final vote in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on a bill to increase the “prevailing wage” threshold for public construction…
Media
Read More: Will the Union Party Win Again?Public Union Democracy
Who Would Oppose Reforming a Costly, Unnecessary Law?
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives may vote today on a bill to reform the 1961 prevailing wage mandate. The prevailing wage requires government to pay higher wages and benefits for…
Media
Read More: Who Would Oppose Reforming a Costly, Unnecessary Law?Public Union Democracy
Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage Law
Pennsylvania's Prevailing Wage Law was enacted in 1961 to protect construction workers from out-of-state competition, mandating that contractors pay the wages that "prevail" in each region on all government construction…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Prevailing Wage LawPublic Union Democracy
House Moves Unemployment Compensation Reform
More Unemployment Compensation reform is moving through the Pennsylvania House. Yesterday, HB 1754 sponsored by Rep. Ron Miller, and HB 1852 sponsored by Rep. Seth Grove, cleared the…
Media
Read More: House Moves Unemployment Compensation ReformPublic Union Democracy
Turn on the Fiscal Fire Hose
Since Gov. Corbett unveiled his 2012-13 budget Tuesday, we’ve noted how it reduces overall spending for only the second time in 40 years. We’ve also explained that despite…
Media
Read More: Turn on the Fiscal Fire HoseEducation
Not a Joke: Learn from Louisiana
Here in Pennsylvania, we like to think we’re better than states like Louisiana. Those folks used to have slaves, but our founder was a Quaker. They’re poor, but we’re rich. …
Media
Read More: Not a Joke: Learn from LouisianaEducation
Crisis vs. Competition in Education
Here are two views on school choice, the idea that fostering a variety of schooling options for families—whether public, charter, cyber or private—is a good thing: School choice is a…
Media
Read More: Crisis vs. Competition in EducationGovernment Accountability
Teachers’ Union Dues at Leisure
A full-time teacher and member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association pays $654 a year in union dues to state, national and local affiliates of the union. While part-time teachers…
Media
Read More: Teachers’ Union Dues at LeisureEducation
PSEA Exposed: Vex, Lies and Audio Tape
Nestled in the $4.2 million the Pennsylvania State Education Asssociation spent in 2010-11 on political activities are some very telling expenditures on polling firms. For example, remember the much-touted…
Media
Read More: PSEA Exposed: Vex, Lies and Audio TapeEducation
The Growing Lobbying Might of the PSEA
The Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state’s largest government union with 192,000 members, spent an astonishing $2.6 million in 2009-10 on “political activities and lobbying.” If that seems like a…
Media
Read More: The Growing Lobbying Might of the PSEAPublic Union Democracy
County Data Shows Prevailing Wage Hikes Costs
We have documented the racist origins of Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law, how it artificially raises the costs of taxpayer-funded construction projects by 20 percent (or approximately $1 billion…
Media
Read More: County Data Shows Prevailing Wage Hikes CostsPublic Union Democracy
Right to Work Helps Oklahoma Economy
A new analysis from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs shows that since the Sooner State passed a right to work law in 2001—allowing all workers to choose whether…
Media
Read More: Right to Work Helps Oklahoma EconomyEducation
The Lesson of Ohio Might Not Be What You Think
The Wall Street Journal recently featured a very short, very striking piece on the defeat of much-needed limits on the power of government unions in Ohio. The conventional wisdom on…
Media
Read More: The Lesson of Ohio Might Not Be What You ThinkGovernment Accountability
Common Cause: Gas Political Money Can’t Match Unions
The third or fourth report by Common Cause PA on political spending (campaign contributions and lobbying) by the natural gas industry reveals nothing new. According to Common Cause, the Political…
Media
Read More: Common Cause: Gas Political Money Can’t Match UnionsEducation
Rep. Ryan Aument & Teacher Evaluations on The BOX
In our newest The BOX Program podcast, State Representative Ryan Aument discusses his role in spearheading education reform in the House with host Matt Brouillette. How would new teacher evaluation…
Media
Read More: Rep. Ryan Aument & Teacher Evaluations on The BOXGovernment Accountability
Government Unions Steal Worker Freedom
Pennsylvania is one of 28 states in which workers can be compelled to give part of their paycheck to a union just to keep their job. Moreover, even non-membership is…
Commentary
Read More: Government Unions Steal Worker FreedomGovernment Accountability
Pennsylvania’s Government Unions
Pennsylvania is a forced union state, meaning that workers can be forced to join a union or pay a "fair share fee" just to keep their job. Most government units…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Government UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Prevailing Wage Reform Bills Pass Committee
Six bills to reform Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law passed the House Labor and Industry Committee today, and will now go to the full House for a vote. The state’s 1961…
Media
Read More: Prevailing Wage Reform Bills Pass CommitteePublic Union Democracy
New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to Work
New polling conducted by Douglas E. Schoen, LLC for the Manhattan Institute nationally and in 10 targeted states shows widespread bipartisan support to reduce state government spending rather than…
Media
Read More: New Polling Shows 72 Percent of Pennsylvanians Support Right to WorkPublic Union Democracy
Senseless Regulations Cause Job Loss
Tuesday’s Pennsylvania Independent article on the new state independent contract rules demonstrates the clear need for regulatory streamlining in the commonwealth. After Deborah Webster’s husband lost his job,…
Media
Read More: Senseless Regulations Cause Job Loss