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

New Lawsuit Challenges Union Resignation Restrictions

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 24, 2018

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court freed all public sector workers from paying agency fees to a union they didn’t join. Since then, many workers who are dissatisfied with…

Media

Read More: New Lawsuit Challenges Union Resignation Restrictions

Public Union Democracy

Labor Unrest…From Union Employees

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 19, 2018

Imagine: you are a hard-working custodian who scrubs bathrooms and vacuums hallways for a company you’ve always respected. It’s an honest job, and when the company tells you it values…

Media

Read More: Labor Unrest…From Union Employees

Public Union Democracy

Crucial Janus Legislation Deferred

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 12, 2018

To enact important reforms before the end of legislative session, Pennsylvania lawmakers must run bills on a tight schedule. Unfortunately, on Wednesday House leadership removed a Janus enforcement bill (HB 2571) from consideration—meaning…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Top 10 Recipients of Government Union PAC Contributions

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 9, 2018

Government unions have spent more than $120 million since 2007 to advance their fiercely partisan and political agenda. As the graphic below shows, Democratic candidates receive the most direct PAC donations from…

Media

Read More: Top 10 Recipients of Government Union PAC Contributions

Public Union Democracy

Top 5 Reasons to Support HB 2571

  • Elizabeth Stelle, Jessica Barnett
  • October 9, 2018

HB 2571 is a commonsense reform that benefits public sector workers and aligns Pennsylvania law with the U.S. Supreme Court's Janus v. AFSCME decision. Here are five reasons it must…

Media

Read More: Top 5 Reasons to Support HB 2571

Education

Unions and their Impact on Teachers

  • Colleen Hroncich
  • October 5, 2018

Conventional wisdom tells us unions are good for teachers. But is this true? While teachers’ unions have certainly benefited union leadership, rank and file teachers should carefully evaluate the…

Media

Read More: Unions and their Impact on Teachers

Public Union Democracy

Who Benefits from Union Political Spending?

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 3, 2018

From teachers’ strikes to the significant U.S. Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, government unions catapulted into the national spotlight this year. Yet union direct political engagement has remained strong for…

Media

Read More: Who Benefits from Union Political Spending?

Public Union Democracy

Lawmakers Must Prioritize Pro-Worker Legislation

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 2, 2018

With a few session days left, lawmakers must prioritize legislation to align state law with federal law and tell workers their rights. HB 2571 enforces the U.S. Supreme Court decision…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Enforcing Janus

  • Jessica Barnett
  • October 1, 2018

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME is a landmark decision for public sector workers—yet is not self-enforcing. It's time for Pennsylvania lawmakers to defend public sector employees' new-found rights…

Media

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Public Union Democracy

Lawmakers and Union Leaders Attack Election Privacy

  • September 25, 2018

Today, Rep. Maureen Madden and Rep. Thomas Mehaffie introduced anti-worker legislation that would strip government workers of privacy rights in workplace elections and give union leaders workers’ personal information. HB…

Press Release

Read More: Lawmakers and Union Leaders Attack Election Privacy

Public Union Democracy

Legislation Moves to Enforce Workers’ Rights

  • Jessica Barnett
  • September 24, 2018

In the first full session day after the landmark Janus v. AFSCME U.S. Supreme Court decision, the state House Labor Committee passed legislation to protect the rights of public sector…

Media

Read More: Legislation Moves to Enforce Workers’ Rights

Public Union Democracy

House Committee Advances Bills Giving Government Workers a Bigger Voice

  • September 24, 2018

Today, the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry Committee passed several crucial bills supporting government workers’ constitutional rights. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that…

Press Release

Read More: House Committee Advances Bills Giving Government Workers a Bigger Voice

Public Union Democracy

Lawmakers Can Stand Up for Home Care Workers

  • September 18, 2018

In early 2015 Governor Wolf issued an executive order unionizing home care workers throughout Pennsylvania, many of whom care for their own relatives. The state Supreme Court recently upheld the order. By…

Media

Read More: Lawmakers Can Stand Up for Home Care Workers

Public Union Democracy

Time to Shed Light on New Workers’ Rights

  • Charles Mitchell
  • September 11, 2018

This Labor Day marks ten weeks since the Supreme Court ruled in Janus v. AFSCME that government employees should not be forced to pay a union or risk losing their…

Media

Read More: Time to Shed Light on New Workers’ Rights

Public Union Democracy

Worker Empowerment Begins with Choice

  • Jessica Barnett
  • September 5, 2018

As Pennsylvanians return to work following Labor Day celebrations, it’s an appropriate time to ask: what does a fair, employee-focused workplace look like? It shouldn’t involve blocking workers’ ability to…

Media

Read More: Worker Empowerment Begins with Choice

Public Union Democracy

Four Teachers Finally Gain Control Over their Paycheck

  • Elizabeth Stelle
  • September 4, 2018

Jane Ladley retired from teaching three years ago, but until two weeks ago the teachers union held part of her pay in escrow. Jane was a religious objector to…

Media

Read More: Four Teachers Finally Gain Control Over their Paycheck

Public Union Democracy

Pa. Supreme Court Allows Stealth Unionization of Home Care Workers

  • Jessica Barnett
  • August 22, 2018

In 2015, Dave Smith and Don Lambrecht were catapulted to the center-stage of Pennsylvania policy, a role neither man ever wanted by fighting a threat to their way of life. Permanently…

Media

Read More: Pa. Supreme Court Allows Stealth Unionization of Home Care Workers