Government Union Money Dwarfs Corporate Influence in California Elections

By Edward Ring
11/01/2022
The disparity in fundraising in California between Democrats and Republicans is systemic. From statewide offices to local races, government unions — not corporations — make or break candidates, and it’s not even close. A survey of  California’s Secretary of State website will debunk any suggestion that Democrats are protecting California’s citizens from the big bad corporations. If...

TAGS: California government unions, campaign finance, campaign spending, Dark money, public sector union political spending

Good Fortune Shines on Teachers Unions

By Joel Fox
03/01/2016
California’s teachers unions have been described as the most powerful force affecting state government. Recently, however, threats to the California Teachers Association and the California Federation of Teachers have arisen on a number of fronts, yet over the last couple of weeks those threats seemed to be minimized by political pressure, apparent sympathetic judges, and...

TAGS: agency fees, California Teachers Association, Friedrichs vs. the CTA, government unions, public sector union political spending, public sector unions, teachers union

Why the Democratic Party Cannot Embrace Public Sector Union Reform

By Edward Ring
10/15/2013
“Public employees have a private interest in taking more and more of the taxpayer-generated revenue for themselves. In other words, public employees have a private interest in diverting public funds from public services to their wages and pensions. In this sense, the increasing numbers of public employees and their increasing wages and benefits threaten to...

TAGS: paycheck protection, public sector union political spending

How Big Labor Intimidates Politicians and Businesses

By Dave Bego
02/03/2012
For years the spokespersons for labor unions have used the tactic of “shame” in an effort to pressure, bully and demonize employers who might stand against their efforts. They have used “shame” in their efforts to misinform the public – to create a misperception that their target is guilty of an unconscionable act and should...

TAGS: public sector union political spending

Unions and America’s Ills

By Editor
02/10/2011
Yesterday the Detroit News, as part of its “Labor Voices” series, published a guest editorial by the President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, James Hoffa, entitled “American ills not caused by unions.” In this editorial Hoffa made many statements that require a rebuttal, starting with this: “Across the country, new governors and new legislatures...

TAGS: public sector union political spending

California Teacher’s Union Political Spending

By Editor
11/09/2010
An interesting post from the website “Intercepts: A listening post monitoring public education and teachers’ unions,” entitled “NEA/CTA Outspends Everyone on California Ballot Measures” has added up the political spending by California’s teacher’s union in last week’s election. For the nine initiative measures, the spending by California’s teacher’s unions was as follows: California Teachers Association:...

TAGS: public sector union political spending

The Ugly Consequences of Forced Unionism

By Larry Sand
10/28/2010
A recent Wall Street Journal article pointed out that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has become the biggest political spender in the 2010 election campaign – thus far having spent $87.5 million. Two other public employee unions have chipped in another $84 million (Service Employees International Union – $44 million and...

TAGS: Forced Unionism, public sector union political spending

Public Sector Unions & Political Spending

By Editor
09/23/2010
Working from the bottom up, it is virtually impossible to extract accurate figures to quantify just how much money public sector unions spend on political activity. For example, money spent at the state level on politics, as tracked by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, or, in California, as tracked by the California...

TAGS: public sector union political spending