In October 2010, approximately one month before the 2010 Mid-Term Elections, I wrote the blog Who Is Running the Country? At that time, my first book, The Devil at My Doorstep, was approximately one year old and starting to gain national attention. Much of its success is owed to Andrew Breitbart and BigGovernment.com. They are...
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. California Is Latest Stage for Election Battle Over Unions By Adam Nagourney, October 2, 2012, New York Times The battle to curb labor’s political clout...
If taxpayers want to curb pension costs with a ballot measure, do they need an OK from unions before they start collecting signatures? San Diego’s Municipal Employees Association seems to think so. The MEA, which represents 6,000 workers on the city payroll, wants government unions to have a gatekeeper role in the initiative process —...
Finally, ordinary citizens in the San Joaquin Valley learn how construction trade unions block solar power plant projects by exploiting the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Residents of Kings County (in the San Joaquin Valley of California) see local opportunities for economic growth and job creation through the construction and operation of proposed solar-powered electrical generation facilities....
California residents are depressed about the economy and see little hope for change in the near future, yet they seem more reluctant than ever to change the current high-tax, union-dominated political course that has led to the struggling economy. As the Field Poll revealed in July, “Californians have had an extremely gloomy view of the...
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. Big Labor and Moody’s Pounce on Ruling Against Wisconsin Union Law By Alex Newman, September 24, 2012, New American Big Labor and Moody’s Pounce on...
Whatever your views concerning the wisdom of the proposed $520 million expansion of the San Diego Convention Center and the related expansion of the adjacent Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, you should be outraged at the shameless stunt of top San Diego labor union officials and their lawyers at the September 19, 2012 meeting of the...
On September 9th the Contra Costa Times ran an editorial denouncing Prop. 32, a California citizen’s initiative that will appear on the state ballot in November, joining their sister publication the San Jose Mercury to call it a “scam” (ref. “Proposition 32 is deceptive and should be rejected“). The Contra Costa Times editorial staff provides...
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. Chicago can’t afford to pay healthy people not to work Editorial, September 18, 2012, Chicago Sun-Times Public employees who are permanently injured in the line...
In today’s Sacramento Bee an article by Jon Ortiz entitled “What California state workers pay in union dues and fees” provided current data on the revenue of unions organizing state workers. It only takes a minor exercise in extrapolation to use this data to estimate the annual revenue of unions organizing all government workers in...
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. Chicago teacher strike poses test for labor as teacher unions see influence wane By Associated Press, September 11, Washington Post The massive teacher strike in...
The average teacher in Chicago makes $76,000 a year for nine months of work. They were offered 16% salary increase spread over four years. Given the system has a $665 million deficit this year and a bigger one next year, I am wondering why there should be a raise at all. Nonetheless, the New York...
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: California’s Pension Reform Legislation Allows Cities to Bypass Collective Bargaining By Ed Mendel, September 4, 2012, Calpensions Pension reform approved by the Legislature last week...
Much is said about class warfare in contemporary America, and there’s justifiable anger at the impoverishment of much of the middle and working classes. The Pew Research Center recently dubbed the 2000s a “lost decade” for middle-income earners — some 85% of Americans in that category feel it’s now more difficult to maintain their standard...