Public Union Democracy
National Unions are Bouncing Back—and Coming for State Legislatures
Harrisburg, Pa., September 7, 2026—The nation’s largest government unions are organizing new and unusual workplaces to overcome membership losses since the landmark Janus v. AFSCME case, according to the fifth edition of The Battle for Worker…
Press Release
Read More: National Unions are Bouncing Back—and Coming for State LegislaturesPublic Union Democracy
The Battle for Worker Freedom: Grading State Public Sector Labor Laws
Key Findings Union executives are prioritizing recruitment. The fastest-growing category of public sector labor legislation expands collective bargaining into new workplaces. On the strength of these new laws, union executives…
Report
Read More: The Battle for Worker Freedom: Grading State Public Sector Labor LawsEnergy
State of RGGI: Past, Present, and Future
Key Points The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a multi-state cap-and-trade program that imposes a carbon tax on power generators, resulting in a new, economy-wide energy tax. Pennsylvania entered…
Backgrounder
Read More: State of RGGI: Past, Present, and FuturePublic Union Democracy
State of the Unions: Examining Union Membership in State Government
Key Findings Public sector labor unions in 33 states represent state government employees, a segment of overall public sector employment, for purposes of collective bargaining. For this research, 27 of…
Executive Summary
Read More: State of the Unions: Examining Union Membership in State GovernmentPublic Union Democracy
Public Sector Unions are Most Prominent Where Workers’ Rights are Limited
Harrisburg, Pa., March 11, 2024 — Overall union membership is declining in America, but the same is not true for public sector unions. Across the United States, 43.5 percent of state government…
Press Release
Read More: Public Sector Unions are Most Prominent Where Workers’ Rights are LimitedPublic Union Democracy
Government Union Contracts Increase Again
Summary Pennsylvania elected officials routinely and secretly negotiate billion-dollar labor contracts with government union leaders from whom they often receive political donations. These labor contracts are a major cost of…
Fact Sheet
Read More: Government Union Contracts Increase AgainState Budget
Gov. Wolf’s Budget Plan & Working Families
Chairman Causer and members of the House Majority Policy Committee, thank you for inviting the Commonwealth Foundation to testify on the impact of Governor Wolf’s budget proposal. My name is…
Testimony
Read More: Gov. Wolf’s Budget Plan & Working FamiliesEducation
Education Savings Accounts Across the Country
The movement to provide children with better education is building momentum in 2017 as education savings accounts (ESA) advance in nearly a dozen states. Legislation has been filed in…
Media
Read More: Education Savings Accounts Across the CountryTaxes & Economy
Governor Wolf’s Natural Gas Tax Proposal
Governor Wolf continues to press for a natural gas severance tax despite ongoing layoffs and potential bankruptcies in the natural gas industry.
Fact Sheet
Read More: Governor Wolf’s Natural Gas Tax Proposal