Posts tagged Allentown Symphony Orchestra

    News Article Research ● Labor Unionization Unions

    Pennsylvania Musician Opposed To Funding Lefty Causes Challenges Forced Unionization

    March 13, 2023 // “Before Covid, my contact with the union had been peripheral at best,” Wilkofsky said in an interview. “My union membership was forced on me as a condition of my employment. But I have found that the union is very politically active and does not really represent my interests. In fact, I would say the union is really a left-leaning political action committee that masquerades as an advocate for musicians. They support one political party nearly 100 percent of the time, and it looks to me like they spend zero percent of their time representing musicians.” The PAC for the American Federation of Musicians donated 100 percent of its contributions to Democrats in the 2019-2020 election cycle, according to campaign finance data.

    Allentown Symphony Orchestra American Federation of Musicians Local 45 Americans for Fair Treatment condition of employment Democrats Fairness Center First amendment Glen Wilkofsky Janus lockdowns PAC Pandemic Pennsylvania public employer right-to-work Supreme Court union dues

    Op-ed

    Opinion: Why I put my job in the Allentown Symphony on the line to not pay union dues

    May 20, 2022 // The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that public-sector employees can’t be forced to pay a union as a condition of employment. I’m relying on that precedent, and representation from the Fairness Center, a nonprofit law firm, to defend my rights against those who would misuse their power and deny them.

    Allentown Symphony Allentown Symphony Orchestra American Federation of Musicians American Federation of Musicians Local 45 condition of employment Covid dues Fairness Center First amendment free association free speech free speech and association Glen Wilkofsky Local 45 Opensecrets.org Pennsylvania public-sector labor law political speech public employer Supreme Court Union

    News Article ● Labor Unionization

    In a case that could be destined for the Supreme Court, Allentown Symphony musician says he shouldn’t have to pay union dues to perform

    April 15, 2022 // “Our client’s goal is to make sure that Janus is expanded to all of the bargaining units that are covered by the Supreme Court decision,” said Nathan McGrath, president of The Fairness Center, a public interest legal group that represents those who object to mandatory public-sector union membership.

    Al Jacobsen Allentown Allentown Symphony Orchestra American Federation of Musicians arts organizations that receive public funding collective bargaining condition of employment COVID Relief David Deratzian dues Fairness Center federal governments First amendment Glen Wilkofsky government workers Janus Janus v. AFSCME Labor Law legal process to expel local governments membership Miller Symphony Hall municipal and state employee unions Nathan McGrath nonprofit nonprofit organization Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board Pennsylvania Public Employee Relations Act Peter Hall principal timpanist Public Employee Relations Act public employee unions public grants public school teachers public sector employee public works employees publicly funded publicly funded arts organizations state governments suing Allentown Symphony Orchestra Supreme Court suspended list Symphony Executive Director Symphony Executive Director Al Jacobsen Symphony musician U.S. District Court U.S. District Court in Allentown unable to perform violates Fourteenth Amendment rights