More evidence school employees left their unions in late 2018

By Editorial Staff
02/04/2019
“Union members now have a choice”: CPC email, one of 13.9 million communications with California government employees. Union membership in yet another California school district is down dramatically, providing new evidence of a broader statewide decline in government unions following last summer’s Supreme Court decision in Janus, the landmark labor case. In 2018, Orange Unified...

TAGS: Janus, Mackinac Center, Orange Unified School District

Janus: Hysteria, reality and foggy windows

By Larry Sand
10/09/2018
The Janus case, which gave public employees a choice whether or not to join a union, elicited apocalyptic proclamations, but the reality – thus far – has been quite different. “I listened as the right wing launched attack after attack on unions and on what collective bargaining gains for working people, those they serve and...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, Claudia Briggs, Educators for Excellence, Eric Heins, Freedom Foundation, Janus, Larry Sand, Mackinac Center, Michigan Education Association, Randi Weingarten, teachers union, Tom Gantert

The unions keep rigging the rules as workers sue them

By Larry Sand
07/17/2018
  Legislation and litigation ramp up in light of the Janus decision.   The public employee unions have not been at all contrite since their 41 year run of legalized theft came to an abrupt halt. On June 27th, the Supreme Court overturned 1977’s abysmal Abood v. Detroit Board of Education decision and ruled...

TAGS: AB 119, California Policy Center, California Teachers Association, Edward Ring, Freedom Foundation, Janus v. AFSCME, Larry Sand, Mackinac Center, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, teachers union

Public schools’ dirty laundry

By Larry Sand
11/28/2017
Do public schools really serve the public? On November 16th, the United Teachers of Los Angeles held a “Save Our Schools” rally, which was part of the larger American Education Week, a National Education Association creation. Touting NEA’s 2017 theme, “Public Schools for all,” union President Lily Eskelsen García emphatically stated “Public schools are the...

TAGS: Andrew Coulson, Ben DeGrow, Betsy DeVos, Cato Institute, EdChoice, Horace Mann, Larry Sand, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, Mackinac Center, National Education Association, Robert Enlow, school choice, teachers union, United Teachers of Los Angeles, vouchers

The best defense is to be offensive

By Larry Sand
09/19/2017
Anti-school choicers are getting desperate. The traditional public education monopolists are using some truly bizarre arguments to ensure that children remain in government-run schools. In July, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten intimated that parents who opt out of government schools are equivalent to southern segregationists. Then later in July, Katherine Stewart penned possibly...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Betsy DeVos, CAHSEE, credit recovery classes, graduation rate, Heartland Institute, Larry Sand, LAUSD, Mackinac Center, Randi Weingarten, school choice, teachers union, vouchers

Right-to-Work on the Move

By Larry Sand
01/31/2017
Since November, Kentucky has joined the right-to-work club and four new employee freedom cases have emerged. On January 7th, Kentucky became the 27th right-to-work state in the nation. The term “right-to-work” (RTW) very simply means that workers don’t have to pay dues to a union as a condition of employment. In a few short years, the movement...

TAGS: F. Vincent Vernuccio, Forced Unionism, Janus v. AFSCME, Jason Hart, Larry Sand, Liberty Justice Center, Mackinac Center, National Education Association, National Right to Work Foundation, Rebecca Friedrichs, Right to Work, student spending, teachers union, Tom Gantert, worker freedom

Michigan: One Year Later

By Larry Sand
12/03/2013
Teachers union is desperate to hold onto every last unwilling member. A year after Michigan became the country’s 24th right-to-work state, teachers are finding that their union resembles a Roach Motel – it’s real easy to get in, but getting out can be a mother. Just ask Miriam Chanski, a 24 year-old Kindergarten teacher who...

TAGS: American Federation of Teachers, Bob Chanin, collective bargaining, George Orwell, Larry Sand, Mackinac Center, Mike Antonucci, National Education Association, National Labor Relations Board, Right to Work, teachers union

Union Activists Disrupt Right-to-Work Forum in Washington

By Edward Ring
09/10/2013
Last week we reported on new efforts underway in the northwest to implement right-to-work laws. In particular, we reported on a public sector right-to-work initiative proposed for the November 2014 Oregon state ballot, “Oregon ‘Public Employee Choice Act’ Aims for 2014 Ballot.” These efforts will trigger a union funded backlash that will intensify in direct...

TAGS: Freedom Foundation, Mackinac Center, Right to Work