Posts tagged bureaucratic

    Research ● Corruption Labor Unions

    Unveiling Financial Transparency Failures in Labor Organizations

    July 24, 2025 // In 2024 alone, the DOL recorded 177 union enforcement actions involving fraud, embezzlement, wire fraud, and falsified records. These are only the crimes that rise to the level of federal prosecution. Far more ethical violations, financial misuses, and questionable behaviors fall below the radar leaving union members in the dark and are quietly buried through internal repayments, hush resignations, or legal threats — all without any formal DOL investigation or public accountability. Despite 16 years as a union official, I did not become aware of the existence of LM-2 financial disclosure filings until our local filed a lawsuit against our state affiliate. Imagine that: even as a union president and past treasurer, I was unaware that both our state and national unions were required to submit LM-2 forms to the Department of Labor. If someone like me — deeply engaged in union governance — was kept in the dark, how can we expect average members to know their rights, much less exercise them?

    AFL-CIO Fire Fighters Local 7 AFL-CIO Teachers AFSCME Local 2620 AFT Connecticut American Postal Workers Union audit finances Burbank bureaucratic California charities Connecticut DOJ DOL Edward Kelly embezzling Fairness Center FINANCES financial abuse financial misconduct Fire Fighters AFL-CIO firefighters grant money IAFF IAFF-FC indicted insurance International Association of Fire Fighters International Union of Operating Engineers International Union of Operating Engineers Local 465 Kurt Becker labor organizations Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act LM2 LMRDA Los Angeles Fire Department Muscular Dystrophy Association PAC fund balances pay to play Pennsylvania rank and file retirement planning secrecy Securities and Exchange Commission taxpayer money Texas Transparency Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters of Connecticut Union union membership unions United Steelworkers UPFFA Local 7 vendors wire fraud

    Press Release Research ● Labor Unionization Unions

    ALEC Releases Landmark State Labor Policy Rankings: States That Work

    June 12, 2025 // ALEC’s new report also profiles states like Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee that have taken bold steps to protect private sector workers’ right to cast secret ballots in union elections. Meanwhile, states like Nebraska, Florida, and Louisiana also receive recognition for passing Universal Recognition laws that ensure licensed workers can continue their professions without red tape after relocating.

    ALEC Arizona Arkansas bureaucratic Chris Croft economic freedom Florida Janus Labor Policy labor reforms Louisiana Massachusetts Nebraska New York pro-growth pro-worker public sector bargaining right-to-work Tennessee Universal Recognition Utah

    Research ● Labor Unionization Unions

    Proposed Biden-Harris Apprenticeship Rule Would Exacerbate Skills Gap

    August 14, 2024 // PROPOSED RULE WOULD DISCOURAGE WORKERS AND DISINCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES FROM PARTICIPATING IN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a nearly 800-page rule that would burden apprenticeship programs with red tape, extra costs, and more bureaucracy. The rule includes several problematic new requirements, including

    Apprenticeship Rule Biden-Harris administration Biden-Harris administration bureaucracy bureaucratic career and technical education DEI District of Columbia DOL healthcare interns paid family leave retirement benefits skills gap State Apprenticeship Agency

    Op-ed / Commentary ● Unions

    PUBLIC-EMPLOYEE UNIONS USE RED TAPE TO OBSCURE THEIR DECEIT

    March 29, 2022 // Read the fine print in your union membership agreement and you’ll find it’s filled with exceptions and loopholes intended to undermine the clear intent of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME, which identified forced union membership or dues as a violation of the worker’s First Amendment rights.

    AFSCME American Federal State County Employees bureaucratic city employee Columbus Constitution Covid dues elected leaders elected officials financial information doesn’t exist in a format we can access Fredom Foundation government government transparency. Government officials government union Janus v. AFSCME Lauren Bowen membership Ohio opt-out political leaders union bosses union voting privileges unions

    Blog Op-ed / Commentary ● Labor

    OP-ED | A Better Approach to the Silver Tsunami

    March 18, 2022 // Too often, for unions, the customers are themselves rather than the public, which is why the state should be taking advantage of retirements by focusing on modernizing, reorganizing, retooling, and outsourcing as much as possible. The major advantage in choosing among hiring private employees/services is that change can be made quickly to accommodate the needs of customers. Not working well? Terminate the contract and find a better solution in the marketplace.

    401(k) Alan Calandro appropriated funds avoid active managing benefits better solution in the marketplace bonus bumping rights bureaucratic campaign donor Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities Connecticut cost recovery rates CT News CTNewsJunkie.com customer outcomes customer service defined benefit pensions defined contribution Democrats Department of Administrative Services employee skills employees fiscal years flexibility in operations funded annually government inefficiency governmental efficiency governmental necessity Governor Lamont grievance hazardous duty high-performing employees human resources governmental environment inflation legally tenuous long term planning management skills metro regions modernizing morale nation Office of Fiscal Analysis op ed Opinion outsourcing pay raise pension liability private employees private sector private services private-sector levels problem union employee profitability providing justice quality employee performance raises reorganizing Republicans Retirement retooling reverse incentive Salaries salary salary side signing timesheets silver tsunami solving the current budget staff development staff development funding state state employees. state union system state unions state workforce stress tentative deal Terminate the contract tied to profitability training unfunded union leaders union protections union representative unionized employees unionized state employees universal medical care upper-tier health benefits