Archive for February 2015

Larry Sand, President of California Teacher Empowerment Network’s comments on teacher union membership losses in Unionwatch.org Earlier this month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics informed us that in 2014 – for the second year in a row – that there are fewer unionized than non-unionized teachers in the U.S. The reasons for this are many:…

Apparently other Wisconsin public sector unions are reeling from the curtailment in the scope of monopoly bargaining (Act 10), as reflected in the staggering membership losses experienced by other public sector unions.  Robert Samuels comments in the Washington Post. Walker had vowed that union power would shrink, workers would be judged on their merits, and local governments…

Passage of Act 10 gave Wisconsin teachers the power to refrain from supporting or joining a teachers’ labor union in order to get or keep a job.  With a 50% loss in membership, the Wisconsin Education Association Council is turning its money and power to local races in an effort to recoup some of their…

Illinois teacher union official Matthew Johansson is accusing Governor Rauner of destroying unions with his executive order issued last Monday, freeing teachers and other state employees from having to pay forced dues.  Matthew Nordin and Jay Roberts have the story on WSIL TV online. Teachers would be able to opt out of their union under a proposal in…

California Teacher Empowerment  Network founder Larry Sand comments on the impact of the Harris v. Quinn Supreme Court case, brought by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, and the prospects for more teacher freedom in the near future.  Read the full story at unionwatch.org. Last Monday, Illinois governor Bruce Rauner issued an executive order that,…

Mike Antonucci discusses a teacher union ideology move further left.  Here’s the story in the Communiqué. Recent events dictate we revisit the possibility that teachers’ unions will revitalize themselves by moving to the left. Yes, yes, I know many of you think there cannot possibly be any room remaining to them on that side, but it…

Washington, DC (February 10, 2015) – The National Right to Work Foundation is offering free legal aid to public employees seeking to exercise their right to refrain from paying union dues or fees that may result from Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner’s newly-issued executive order. Governor Rauner issued an executive order late Monday that instructs all state agencies…

As usual, Mike Antonucci’s insight into National Education Association union officials’ mindset is laser-like, and priceless.  Denying membership losses while membership numbers continue to decline, teacher union officials are once again “marching boldly in place,” as he commented years ago.  This time it’s about not using the words “education reform,” and calling for more social justice unionism. …

Mike Antonucci, Education Intelligence Agency, reviews the Wisconsin Education Association Council’s LM-2.  All unions representing private sector employees must file an LM-2 disclosure form with the U. S. Department of Labor. Membership numbers after Act 10 speak for themselves, however, the union was able to stay in front of the financial consequences with immediate and…

In a complicated scheme, Illinois teacher union officials can keep their teacher retirement plans even though they have only spent one day in the classroom.  Although the systems was supposed to have been reformed in 2011, union officials who have spent as little as one day in the classroom collect pensions under the same program…