Fairness
Unions at a Crossroads: Democracy, Transparency, and Bridging Divides
Jake Altman, author of Socialism before Sanders, joins Disunion: The Government Union Report podcast host David R. Osborne to discuss labor unions and their challenges. Altman, a former union leader,…
Read More: Unions at a Crossroads: Democracy, Transparency, and Bridging DividesCompulsory 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
If Your Erection Lasts Longer than a SEPTA Strike …
Alex Charyna points out this tidbit in the Philadelphia Daily News – one demand of the SEPTA union was more Viagra: Yes, it appears that labor issues…
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Read More: If Your Erection Lasts Longer than a SEPTA Strike …Public Union Democracy
SEPTA Union Doesn’t Represent “The Working Class”
About 5,100 union workers for SEPTA went on strike early Tuesday, leaving 450,000 people to find new ways to travel. The union is demanding a 4% raise and an…
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Read More: SEPTA Union Doesn’t Represent “The Working Class”Public Union Democracy
Political Power of Public Sector Unions
The Weekly Standard has a good piece on the growing political power of public sector unions, with a short history lesson, and many of the consequences (e.g.
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Read More: Political Power of Public Sector UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Union Organizers Drown Out Voice of Rep. Bear
Today the state capital was abuzz with clamorous shouting from protesting union members. What was all the hullabaloo about? Union members organized in opposition to a press conference about a…
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Read More: Union Organizers Drown Out Voice of Rep. BearPublic Union Democracy
Teachers Compelled To Fund ACORN
The group ACORN has been in the news more often than it probably prefers to be, especially of late. But such is its notoriety. ACORN is not…
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Read More: Teachers Compelled To Fund ACORNPublic Union Democracy
Is “Card Check” Racist?
A new study on the Employee Free Choice Act finds that the ill-named legislation would deliberately harm minorities (HT: The Union Label) This proposal would likely expand labor hierarchy, labor market…
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Read More: Is “Card Check” Racist?Health Care
Whoops, We Were Wrong…
One of our goals at the Commonwealth Foundation is to predict the effect of proposed public policies. Most of the time, we are proven correct, and humbly announce, "We told…
Commentary
Read More: Whoops, We Were Wrong…Public Union Democracy
Happy Labor (Union Free) Day
Samuel Gompers, the father of the modern American labor union movement, once said, I want to urge devotion to the fundamental of human liberty-to the principles of voluntarism. No…
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Read More: Happy Labor (Union Free) DayPublic Union Democracy
Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for Disaster
Once again, state lawmakers, bureaucrats and special interest groups are looking for another way to grab more money from Pennsylvanians. The latest rendition is tolling Interstate 80 across the northern…
Commentary
Read More: Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for DisasterPublic Union Democracy
Address the Spending Side on Road Funding First
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation issued a statement responding to our blog post that explains state transportation spending has increased 121% since 1995, more than triple the rate…
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Read More: Address the Spending Side on Road Funding FirstEducation
Won’t Somebody Think of the Children!?
Jim Roxbury brought to my attention a quote by Governor Rendell that “the one group that has no lobbyist here in Pennsylvania is our children” as well as too…
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Read More: Won’t Somebody Think of the Children!?Public Union Democracy
Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for Disaster
With a renewed interest in tolling Interstate 80, I find it necessary to reiterate several points of concern surrounding Act 44 and its implications on Pennsylvania’s economic future: Act…
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Read More: Tolling I-80 is a Recipe for DisasterPublic Union Democracy
The Perils of Slavish Devotion to Organized Labor
Labor unions maintain a political stranglehold on legislation in Pennsylvania despite representing less than two out of 10 workers.
Commentary
Read More: The Perils of Slavish Devotion to Organized LaborEducation
Who’s For the Children?
In the television comedy The Office, dim-witted boss Michael Scott remarks that he likes giving presents because they are “like this tangible thing that you can point to and say…
Commentary
Read More: Who’s For the Children?Public Union Democracy
Employee Free Choice Act: Still Not Free, Still No Choice
Democrats recently announced they will drop card check from their ironically titled “Employee Free Choice Actâ€?. Even after this compromise, the EFCA is still bad news for workers everywhere. Unfortunately,…
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Read More: Employee Free Choice Act: Still Not Free, Still No ChoicePublic Union Democracy
Coalition of Groups Call for Suspension of Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Law
The Commonwealth Foundation joined a coalition of organizations – including business groups, boroughs, and school boards – calling for reforming Pennsylvania’s prevailing wage law. Specific proposals include: Sun setting or…
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Read More: Coalition of Groups Call for Suspension of Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage LawGovernment Accountability
10 Ways to Balance the Budget Without Tax Hikes
Contrary to the Governor’s rhetoric, there are a plethora of reforms and spending cuts that can balance the budget without firing our police, evicting our elderly, or dumbing down our…
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Read More: 10 Ways to Balance the Budget Without Tax HikesHealth Care
Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for Unions
We mentioned last week that a tax on employer-provided health care benefits would likely be part of ObamaCare. This despite the fact that Obama’s campaign criticized McCain for proposing…
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Read More: Democrats’ Health Care Plan: Tax the Middle Class, Loophole for UnionsPublic Union Democracy
State Agency Forces Private Sector to Pay Prevailing Wage
Due to a standing order by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), all public universities are required to pay prevailing wage rates on construction projects funded by…
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Read More: State Agency Forces Private Sector to Pay Prevailing WageEducation
Salaries for Pennsylvania Teachers and School Employees Online
Stop Teacher Strikes has posted the 2007-08 salary information (collected by Asbury Park Press) for 195,000 Pennsylvania teachers and school employees, searchable by name, district, or position…
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Read More: Salaries for Pennsylvania Teachers and School Employees OnlineEducation
Fact Check: The Costing-Out Study
Today the Governor wraps up his “Tax You More Tour” with Matt Brouillette following stride for stride. Meanwhile, we’re debunking another spending myth: The Costing-Out Study…
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