Posts tagged Fairness Center

    News Article ● Labor Unions

    Union Refuses To Aid Teacher Who Faced Termination for Criticism of Woke Training

    August 15, 2022 // A Connecticut gym teacher says his school threatened to fire him after he criticized its mandatory diversity training on "exploring privilege." But when he filed a grievance against the school, the local teachers' union dismissed the complaint without explanation. John Grande filed the grievance against Hartford Public Schools for what he called targeted discipline—including threats of termination and further "Sensitivity Awareness" training—but the American Federation of Teachers Local 1018, which has jurisdiction over this arbitration process for teachers, rejected his plea, his attorney told the Washington Free Beacon. Grande, who has been a gym teacher for 30 years, said the union retaliated against him for refusing to join the labor group. The training included an activity for teachers to split into groups and discuss their privilege in eight categories: class, ability, race, gender/sex, sexuality, nationality/citizenship, religion, and "other." Hartford Board of Education,

    American Federation of Teachers Local 1018 Connecticut Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations Critical Race Theory Fairness Center Frank Ricci free speech Hartford Public Schools John Grande National Education Association Union Yankee Institute

    News Article Research ● Labor Unions

    Hartford teacher files complaint over union representation

    August 5, 2022 // According to the complaint filed by John Grande, “The Union breached its duty of fair representation when it refused to arbitrate a grievance on Complainant’s behalf due to the fact that he was not a member of the Union. Specifically, the Union’s First Vice President Corey Moses told Complainant that arbitration is reserved only for members of the Union.” The complaint alleges that HFT is violating state statute by not equally representing all members of the bargaining unit equally and that the union “committed a prohibited practice” by attempting to coerce membership through withholding services. Grande recently settled in federal court over a libel case in which he claimed a Hartford school principal defamed him by accusing him of threatening behavior. The case stemmed from Grande wearing headphones to block out noise because of his tinnitus. Hartford Board of Education,

    arbitration Connecticut discipline Fairness Center grievance Hartford Federation of Teachers Nathan McGrath State Board of Labor Relations superintendents teachers

    News Article Op-ed ● Labor Unionization

    A Persistent Cook Serves Up a Winning Recipe for the First Amendment

    July 19, 2022 // An unexpected champion of the First Amendment against public-sector unions may inspire other Janus-curious government workers. Tina Curtis, the lead cook for the New Haven, Conn., Board of Education, may not have figured herself to be a First Amendment warrior. But by prevailing over her government-union bosses in what may prove to be an important Janus-rights case, she has shown herself to be exactly that. Curtis v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders Union, Local 217, AFL-CIO,

    AFL-CIO big labor Captive Audience Act compulsory union membership Connecticut Fairness Center First amendment food service Frank Ricci Hannah Schmitt Hotel & Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Union Local 217 Janus Ned Lamont New Haven New Haven Board of Education Public Sector Workers Supreme Court Tina Curtis UNITEHERE Yankee Institute for Public Policy

    News Article ● Unionization

    Lawsuit alleges New Haven union violated school cafeteria cook’s right to stop paying dues

    June 8, 2022 // A lawsuit filed in federal court alleges that UNITE HERE union officials in New Haven did not allow a New Haven Board of Education (BOE) employee to resign her union membership in accordance with the 2018 Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME, which said public sector employees could not be required to pay dues or fees to a union as a condition of employment. Marc E. Fitch, Connecticut Inside Investigator, Opt Out Window, Senate Bill 908, Danielle Susanj,

    Biden Connecticut Craig Fishbein Fairness Center Janus membership Nathan McGrath New Haven New Haven Board of Education opt-out public-sector employees Unite Here

    Blog ● Unions

    CUNY professors’ lawsuit argues NY law forces them under power of anti-Semitic union

    May 25, 2022 //

    AFL-CIO anti-Semitic union City University of New York City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY dues exclusive bargaining representative Fairness Center First amendment government employees Janus v. AFSCME Jewish Mark Mix National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation New York NY Prof. Avraham Goldstein Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress (PSC) PSC Supreme Court Taylor Law Union union representation Wall Street Journal

    Op-ed ● Unions

    For Whom Does the Union Speak?

    May 24, 2022 //

    1935 Wagner Act Americans for Fair Treatment Anti-Semitic Labor Union City University of New York Covid CUNY David R. Osborne Fairness Center First amendment J.I. Case Co. v. NLRB James Davis National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation New York City New York law Pandemic Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress (PSC) PSC Public Sector Workers Steele v. Louisville & Nashville Railway Co Supreme Court Suzanne Bates Teamsters Local 804 union representation UNITE HERE Local 23 United Steelworkers v. Rawson

    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 ● Unions

    Buffalo teacher resigned, New York union keeps taking dues from her check; now she’s filed a lawsuit

    May 16, 2022 //

    1st Amendment BTF BTF President Philip Rumore Buffalo Buffalo City School District Buffalo Teachers Federation contractual obligation dues Fairness Center Janus Janus v. AFSCME Jennifer Kumpf labor organization lawsuit Nathan McGrath New York New York State United Teachers NYSUT Public Sector Workers remote work resigned from union Steve Bittenbender teacher U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York 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

    Op-ed ● Unions

    MOONEY: Free Speech Suit against Teacher’s Union Could Boost Labor Reform

    January 25, 2022 // “Pennsylvania should not have unconstitutional laws on its books. Nor should we use taxpayer-funded payroll systems to collect campaign cash. Correcting these problems will empower public employees and help ensure fairness in government. It’s encouraging to see House lawmakers moving to protect employees’ private data and shine the light of transparency on deals that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.”

    Chester County Chris Meier collective bargaining Commonwealth Foundation dues employment law end the confusion fair share Fairness Center federal law fee provisions First amendment government workers HB 2042 HB 2048 HB 844 HB 845 Jane Ladley Janus Janus v. AFSCME Kevin Mooney Labor Reform labor reform bills Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Lancaster court municipal employees Nathan Benefield PAC Paycheck Protection Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Pennsylvania State Education Association political action committee protect the privacy of public employees PSEA public employee union public payroll systems religious objections State Rep. Kate Klunk Supreme Court precedent teacher teachers Transparency Union union fees