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

Rendell caught trying to help union buddies

  • April 10, 2006

The Rendell Administration recently made a rules change that he changed again. Gov. Rendell’s Department of Labor and Industry had advised state and municipal governments that they would have to…

Media

Read More: Rendell caught trying to help union buddies

Public Union Democracy

“The truth is in the toilet”

  • April 6, 2006

Michael Smerconish of the Philadelphia Daily News writes about the REAL reason his newspaper is being sold — the labor unions.

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Union membership continues slide in Pa.

  • March 25, 2006

No surprise. It is 2006, not 1926. But, having milked the private-sector cash cow dry, PA AFL-CIO President Bill George is turning to government sector jobs so he can…

Media

Read More: Union membership continues slide in Pa.

Education

Let Common Sense Prevail on School Construction Projects

  • Matthew Brouillette
  • March 14, 2006

In the current debate over school property tax reform in Pennsylvania, all of the plans under consideration in Harrisburg focus solely on the revenue side of the school finance equation…

Commentary

Read More: Let Common Sense Prevail on School Construction Projects

Public Union Democracy

PA is the Teacher Strike leader of the USA

  • March 12, 2006

The Penn-Trafford Education Association is planning to strike this week. Some parents have had enough. See what Simon Campbell is doing about it at www.StopTeacherStrikes.com.

Media

Read More: PA is the Teacher Strike leader of the USA

Public Union Democracy

Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

  • March 11, 2006

Unions seem to spend much of their time these days railing against companies that don’t pay high enough wages and don’t provide health benefits. They try to force these companies…

Media

Read More: Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds

Public Union Democracy

Gettin’ out while the gettin’s good

  • March 7, 2006

The Hempfield Area School District is expecting nearly 90 employees (mostly teachers) to retire this year, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. This is a district where the average salary…

Media

Read More: Gettin’ out while the gettin’s good

Public Union Democracy

Teachers set strike date

  • March 2, 2006

Penn-Trafford’s teachers may be on the picket line…again, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. More fodder for Simon Campbell’s www.StopTeacherStrikes.com.

Media

Read More: Teachers set strike date

Public Union Democracy

Union facts: The ugly truth

  • February 18, 2006

“The Leftist agenda, the racketeering, the fines, the convictions, the magnificent, unearned salaries for union bosses. It’s all here. “ Read the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial.

Media

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Education

How schools lock themselves into raising taxes

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 15, 2006

Article on USATODAY.com explores how health care and other benefits promised to public teachers’ unions will cost school districts a fortune over the coming years. Anyone who thinks…

Media

Read More: How schools lock themselves into raising taxes

Public Union Democracy

The New Union Label: Closed!

  • February 14, 2006

From the New York Times: The Center for Union Facts shot onto the public stage yesterday by running full-page ads in The New York Times, The Washington Post…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

“Don’t be talkin’ bad about me” protest

  • Nathan Benefield
  • February 13, 2006

Teachers’ union rally to protest “20/20” piece (John Stossel’s “Stupid in America,” which details how unions have stood in way of school reform) will occur on March 8.

Media

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Education

The PHEAA raises: Another pay-jacking

  • January 29, 2006

More on the lobbyist/legislative operative who is now the highest paid state employee … in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Why Maryland is fighting windmills.

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 23, 2006

A George Will piece (Getting mugged in Maryland), explaining why the Maryland legislature has decided to attack the paper tiger of Wal-Mart. Will cites Wal-Mart’s ample benefits and pay,…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Union ousted

  • January 16, 2006

Montgomery County Court-related employees throw out AFSCME, reports The Times Herald.

Media

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Public Union Democracy

The best of the best, of course

  • January 8, 2006

The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System and the Public School Retirement System are the envy of the government worker world. They are the most generous systems in the entire country.

Media

Read More: The best of the best, of course

Education

Unions Win: Florida Supreme Court Rules Against School Choice

  • January 5, 2006

News release from the Institute for Justice…. Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down School Choice Washington, D.C.-In a major blow to education reform in Florida, the Florida Supreme Court today struck…

Media

Read More: Unions Win: Florida Supreme Court Rules Against School Choice

Education

Rocky Mountain High

  • Nathan Benefield
  • January 5, 2006

Denver enacts the nation’s first merit pay system for teachers in a large district. See this National Center for Policy Analysis summary of Denver’s new system and other pay…

Media

Read More: Rocky Mountain High