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

Talking Teacher Strikes and the Bailout

  • Nathan Benefield
  • October 8, 2008

Audio from yesterday’s Pittsburgh Renaissance Radio show hosted by Matt Brouillette is available for download. For individual segments: Matt talks with Simon Campbell of Stop Teacher Strikes…

Media

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Health Care

Debate Watching Tips

  • October 7, 2008

While the talking heads may analyze how many points McCain and Obama score with witty jabs, there might also be some policy issues discussed in tonight’s presidential debate. Check…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

The “Disability Epidemic” Among Union Employees

  • September 25, 2008

If you don’t want to get angry after reading these first couple of paragraphs of this New York Times story, then don’t click through here: To understand what it’s…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Union Against Union

  • September 22, 2008

Talk about ironic: the Oregon Education Association is facing a strike, but not from its own members. The organization that helps the OEA file grievances and negotiate contracts, OEA Professional…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

More Union Dues spent on Politics

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 19, 2008

The Union Label blog writes on how AFSCME (the union for government workers) is using union dues to attack candidates for office (see USA Today story as well).

Media

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Public Union Democracy

AFSCME opposes unlimited government?!?

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 17, 2008

Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (which runs 14 state universities, but not the “state-related” schools like Penn State and Pitt), banned all smoking on campus, both indoor and…

Media

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Education

‘Tis the Season…for teacher strikes, that is.

  • September 14, 2008

Saucon Valley teachers who make nearly $80K are ready to strike. Nick Falsone writes on his Bedlam in Bethlehem blog for The Express-Times about elementary school teacher Vivian Demko,…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Todd Palin is Bankrolling Efforts to Defeat His Wife

  • Nathan Benefield
  • September 4, 2008

If you saw this blog title and thought there was something out whack, as I did, well you are right, but not because Todd Palin is deliberating undermining his wife.

Media

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Public Union Democracy

The Card-Check Party

  • September 1, 2008

The Wall Street Journal’s John Fund notes that the Democrats almost committed a major blunder on one of their key labor union campaign issues — ending the use…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Just Say No to Card Checks

  • August 8, 2008

Check out this Wall Street Journal article by former Senator George McGovern on the dangers of the Employee Free Choice Act. The Act would impose a card check system…

Media

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Education

Obama on School Choice: For or Against?

  • July 14, 2008

The Cato Institute blog reports that Barack Obama told members of the American Federation of Teachers he is opposed to school vouchers, when referring to the “tired rhetoric about…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Port Authority Labor Negotiations Online

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 11, 2008

The Pittsburgh Port Authority has a website detailing the sticking points of the labor negotiation with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 85. I think the lesson to be…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Alliance for Worker Freedom: AFL-CIO evading taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • July 10, 2008

I’ve seen a few stories about the AFL-CIO using union dues to run ads against John McCain, and wondered a) why are compulsory union dues for explicit political activity…

Media

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Education

PSEA Hissy Fit

  • July 8, 2008

Too many public schools have a Liberace complex and feel no compunction against splurging taxpayers’ hard-earned money. So kudos to the Pleasant Valley School District for trying to lowering…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Modern Day Patriots: Taking on Government Officials

  • July 6, 2008

Bucks County Commissioners get an earful from taxpayers about the tentative AFSCME collective bargaining agreement that forces non-union employees to pay fees to the union as a condition of…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Right to Work states have higher growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • June 10, 2008

The Union Label blog looks at economic growth differences between right to work and forced unionism state.

Media

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Education

NEA on the Presidential Candidates

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 16, 2008

The National Education Association put out their candidate guide, giving both the candidates’ positions and the NEA’s positions on power grabs for union leaders education issues. Here is the…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

In Defense of RINO Hunting

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 8, 2008

Pat Toomey lowers the hammer in the Wall Street Journal on the Republican establishment-types, who just want to win elections, regardless of policy, vision, or principles (note: this is…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Endorsing Obama = End of Corruption

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 5, 2008

Wall Street Journal article on Barack Obama’s support for reducing oversight of the Teamsters. Says Obama, “organized crime influence in the union has drastically declined.” (HT Amanda Carpenter).

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Right-to-Work leads to Economic Growth

  • Nathan Benefield
  • May 2, 2008

The Mackinac Center has a brief analysis the economic climate of Right to Work states and Forced Unionism states. Mark Perry sums it up nicely: What are…

Media

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