A recent vote by the United Teachers of Los Angeles suggests that a radical faction is in charge, its president “leads from behind” and almost half its teachers don’t care. At the beginning of April, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) decided to put a hard-hitting initiative before its members. …UTLA will begin a...

Here are links to the top stories available online over the past week reporting on union activity including legislation, financial impact, reform activism, etc., from California and across the USA. Teachers Unions Target Charter Schools By Sandy Fitzgerald, 16 April 16, 2013, Newsmax Labor groups are pushing for more involvement in the nation’s charter schools,...

Professor Barnhardt: “So it was only when your world was threatened with destruction that you became what you are now?” Klaatu: “Yes.” Professor Barnhardt: “Well that’s where we are. You say we’re on the brink of destruction and you’re right. But it’s only on the brink that people find the will to change. Only at the precipice...

Can you guess which special interest group influenced many of the resolutions approved at the California Democratic Party convention on April 14, 2013? That’s right, unions. Here’s my annotated collection of the 2013 resolutions and the clean version of the resolutions on the California Democratic Party web site. (As the party web site says, “Click...

The Sinking Ship of Cabotage Summary: The Jones Act is a 1920 law that protects the U.S. maritime industry from competition. It also raises costs for many other industries, keeps foreign ships from helping when disasters like the BP oil spill strike, and seems to be slowly killing the very industry it’s supposed to protect....

Labor unions have a virtual lock on Illinois politics. Unionized government delivers services ever-less efficiently in rough proportion to its ever-increasing size. It promulgates taxes and regulations that stifle private sector growth. It’s impossible to break the unions’ grip on Illinois’ fiscal health. Substitute “Michigan” for “Illinois” and one might have said the same thing...

A couple of weeks ago, the Union Conservatives, a group of U.A.W. workers lead by Terry Bowman, hosted the Workplace Freedom Celebration to commemorate the inaugural day of Right-to-Work (“RTW”) in Michigan. It was truly a special kickoff for RTW in a state known for being the union capital of the world. It was particularly special since the grassroots...

Here are links to the top stories available online over the past week reporting on union activity including legislation, financial impact, reform activism, etc., from California and across the USA. Sutter worker files another complaint against union Kathy Robertson, April 9, 2013, Sacramento Business Journal A respiratory care worker at Sutter Roseville Medical Center has...

“Forget about logic,” Jack advised. My analytics instructor says that all logic is mere tautology. She says it is impossible to learn anything through logic that you did not already know.” Robert A. Heinlein, Tunnel in the Sky What about facts? There are certainly facts we don’t already know. According to the logic of the...

Within three days last week, elected boards of two of the four community college districts in Orange County, California voted on proposals to require their construction contractors to sign Project Labor Agreements with construction trade unions as a condition of work. 1. Rancho Santiago Community College District: Anaheim Hills, Garden Grove, Irvine, Orange, Santa Ana,...