Public Union Democracy
Shapiro’s Project Labor Agreement Mandate
Summary Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) are pre-hire agreements between the government and a contractor that outline the terms and conditions for a certain project. Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote to state…
Read More: Shapiro’s Project Labor Agreement MandateCompulsory 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
UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV Ads
Pennsylvania’s Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has persistently generated corruption scandals as it manages the state-run liquor system. Now, the loudest advocate for retaining this inefficient and unpopular…
Media
Read More: UFCW Fined for Misreporting Terrible Anti-Privatization TV AdsPublic Union Democracy
News Release: Majority of Union Employees Want Worker Voting Rights
Regular elections are foundational to representative democracy. Yet thousands of Pennsylvanians who work in the public sector are bound by a single vote held more than four decades ago to…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Majority of Union Employees Want Worker Voting RightsPublic Union Democracy
Erie Suspends Costly Ghost Teaching
Someone in Erie must have called the ghostbusters. Last August, the Erie School District and the Erie Education Association signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ending ghost teaching in…
Media
Read More: Erie Suspends Costly Ghost TeachingEducation
News Release: Wolf Rewards Ghost Teacher, Union Campaign Contributor with Cabinet Nomination
Failing to show up for work is usually grounds for dismissal, but for Gov. Wolf, it’s reason for promotion. In nominating Jerry Oleksiak as the next Secretary of Labor &…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: Wolf Rewards Ghost Teacher, Union Campaign Contributor with Cabinet NominationPublic Union Democracy
New Home Healthcare Scheme from Wolf Administration
Despite having his home health care executive order struck down by the Commonwealth Court last year, Gov. Wolf seems intent on funneling state money to his pals at the Service…
Media
Read More: New Home Healthcare Scheme from Wolf AdministrationEducation
Op-Ed: Contract Secrecy Plagues Public Schools
Taxpayers were kept in the dark, only to be slipped a $395 million bill—along with the admission that there’s no way to pay for it—at the 11th hour. These secret…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Contract Secrecy Plagues Public SchoolsPublic Union Democracy
Ghost Teachers Exposed by NBC Philadelphia
The ghost teaching phenomenon is continuing to garner major media coverage—this time, a multi-part NBC10 Philadelphia investigation. Investigative reporter Mitch Blacher gets to the bottom of union work on school…
Media
Read More: Ghost Teachers Exposed by NBC PhiladelphiaPublic Union Democracy
Balancing Pennsylvania’s Budget: Tax or Reform?
Government unions are rallying in Harrisburg, demanding more money from Pennsylvanians to justify an even larger state budget. It’s worth asking, how did we get here again? And what…
Media
Read More: Balancing Pennsylvania’s Budget: Tax or Reform?Education
Will Philly Union Contract Require State Bailout?
Philadelphia’s new teacher contract could be so expensive as to require teacher layoffs to pay for it. But there’s another way the $395 million pact could be financed: with…
Media
Read More: Will Philly Union Contract Require State Bailout?Education
Philly Union Contract Underscores Need for Transparency
On Monday evening, members of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) voted to approve a new labor contract with the School District of Philadelphia. Scant details have emerged on…
Media
Read More: Philly Union Contract Underscores Need for TransparencyGovernment Accountability
Lawsuit Seeks to End Ghost Teaching in Reading
Across Pennsylvania, school districts are struggling to keep pace with the rising cost of education driven by unsustainble penion expenses. Yet, a special perk built into over 20 percent…
Media
Read More: Lawsuit Seeks to End Ghost Teaching in ReadingPublic Union Democracy
News Release: House Committee Protects Rights of Religious Objectors to Unionism
Most Pennsylvanians take for granted the right to donate to charities they believe in. But for some, this right is routinely violated. Under state law, public employees who object on…
Press Release
Read More: News Release: House Committee Protects Rights of Religious Objectors to UnionismPublic Union Democracy
Why PA Needs Paycheck Protection
Commentary
Read More: Why PA Needs Paycheck ProtectionEducation
New SRC Member Slams Ghost Teaching
Estelle Richman, appointed by Gov. Wolf to Philadelphia’s School Reform Commission (SRC), was unanimously confirmed to the position today by Pennsylvania’s Senate. The SRC is tasked with overseeing Philadelphia’s…
Media
Read More: New SRC Member Slams Ghost TeachingGovernment Accountability
Taxpayers Collect Millions for Government Unions
Since 2010, Pennsylvania state government has used taxpayer resources to transfer $244 million to government union treasuries. This figure includes millions for highly political activities. According to records obtained via…
Media
Read More: Taxpayers Collect Millions for Government UnionsPublic Union Democracy
Pennsylvania Government Union Dues Used for Politics
Since 2007, Pennsylvania government unions spent $62.7 million from membership dues on “Political Activities & Lobbying.” Including national affiliates the total reaches $342 million during the 2016 election cycle alone. Here…
Commentary
Read More: Pennsylvania Government Union Dues Used for PoliticsGovernment Accountability
Paycheck Protection Closes Corruption Loophole
Philly Corruption All-Stars, that's the title of the recent Philadelphia Citizen series featuring a decade-by-decade rundown of the most corrupt city politicians. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania's reputation for political corruption…
Media
Read More: Paycheck Protection Closes Corruption LoopholePublic Union Democracy
House Majority Whip: It’s Time the House Makes Paycheck Protection a Priority
During my time serving the 100th District, a handful of well-meaning residents have walked into my taxpayer-funded Lancaster County district office and requested campaign lawn signs. They have always walked…
Media
Read More: House Majority Whip: It’s Time the House Makes Paycheck Protection a PriorityPublic Union Democracy
How Government Union Dues Subsidize Partisan Politics
The 2016 election cycle reveals big spending from big labor, according to a report released by the National Institute for Labor Relations Research (NILRR). NILRR discovered $1.7 billion in…
Media
Read More: How Government Union Dues Subsidize Partisan PoliticsGovernment Accountability
Senate Moves Key Transparency Measures
Today the Senate's State Government Committee advanced three bills to open up government collective bargaining negotiations to the public. SB 168, sponsored by Sen. Pat Stefano, would require all levels of government…
Media
Read More: Senate Moves Key Transparency MeasuresGovernment Accountability
Policy Memo: Government Union Political Spending Trends
Union leaders spend millions each year to further their own political agenda. Regardless of public sector employees’ personal political convictions, the highly partisan trend continued to the tune of $19 million…
Memo
Read More: Policy Memo: Government Union Political Spending Trends