Labor
Once again–because public employee union leaders are doing their best to conflate the two–let’s re-emphasize that there’s a difference between private sector and public employee unions. Further, as Dan Yorke brought up this morning, despite proclamations made at rallies, most of the middle-class isn’t unionized (nor intends to be). Starting with the latter, while it’s…
In addition to everything else on the educational plate, Rhode Island needs to increase its graduation rate, even as it requires a diploma actually to mean something: Statewide, 76 percent of the Class of 2010 graduated within four years, up a percentage point from the previous year. More than 2,900 of their classmates didn’t receive…
The protests at Wisconsin’s capitol have been carried out for the children. Truly! Just ask the Reverend Jackson and the protesters. Speaking to a near-capacity crowd from the second level of the Capitol rotunda, the civil rights activist [Jesse Jackson] led protesters in chants of “Save the teachers. Save the children.” Protesters swayed as Jackson…
John Fund explains why Wisconsin is such a big deal to liberal/Democrat/unionists. First, though, he summarizes what got their panties in a bunch: Mr. Walker’s proposals are hardly revolutionary. Facing a $137 million budget deficit, he has decided to try to avoid laying off 5,500 state workers by proposing that they contribute 5.8% of their…
The timing of Wisconsin’s contribution to the era of global protest coincides profoundly with a new report on pensions from the Rhode Island Senate: The new report also factors in the cost of other post-employment benefits, which cities and towns, as well as the state, have only recently begun to show on their accounting statements.…
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Plunge right through that line! Run the ball clear down the field, A touchdown sure this time. On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin! Fight on for her fame Fight! Fellows! – fight, fight, fight! We’ll win this game. I mentioned Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s budget plans that include a reconfiguration of state employee…
The House of Representatives Labor Committee is hearing a bill today on card-check unionization for public employees (H5134). Under the proposed law, secret ballot elections during a unionization process could be bypassed by public employees, if 70% of the members of potential bargaining unit publicly affix their signatures to “authorization cards”. No analogous card-check procedure…
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is squarely taking on the unions to help fix his state’s budget problems (h/t). Elements of Walker’s proposal include state employee wage increases limited to the rate of inflation unless approved in a voter referendum. State workers — other than police, fire, and inspectors — would lose many bargaining rights and…
Although writing from Michigan, Kyle Olson has it right when it comes to his perspective on education happenings in Central Falls: Central Falls students deserve a high-quality education. But instead, families are told to be patient as administrators and the teachers union hold meetings and create 45-page reform plans. And now the federal government gives…
Iain Murray and Vincent Vernuccio remind us that public sector unionization is not an age-old practice: Public-sector unionism is a relatively recent phenomenon in the United States. In 1959, Wisconsin became the first state to allow its public employees to unionize, and other states then followed suit. In 1962, Pres. John F. Kennedy issued an…
