Posts tagged Fairness Center

    Op-ed / Commentary

    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 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 //

    BTF BTF President Philip Rumore Buffalo Buffalo City School District Buffalo Teachers Federation contractual obligation dues Fairness Center First Amendment Janus Janus v. AFSCME Jennifer Kumpf labor organization lawsuit Nathan McGrath New York New York State United Teachers 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 government First Amendment Glen Wilkofsky government workers Janus Janus v. AFSCME Labor Law legal process to expel local governments membership Miller Symphony Hall Nathan McGrath nonprofit 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

    Op-ed / Commentary ● 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 PSEA public employee union public payroll systems religious objections State Rep. Kate Klunk Supreme Court decision teacher teachers Transparency Union union fees

    Op-ed / Commentary ● Unions

    I’m Stuck With an Anti-Semitic Labor Union

    January 21, 2022 // It denounces Israel and treats me as a second-class citizen for resigning.

    Anti-Semitic apartheid Avraham Goldstein City University of New York CUNY Fairness Center First Amendment free speech and association Israel Israel boycott Janus Janus v. AFSCME labor union membership National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation New York’s public employment statute Orthodox Jew political statement resolution state-sanctioned monopoly Taylor Law union representation unions

    Blog ● Unions

    Paycheck protection needed to prevent government payroll from funding partisan political activism

    January 19, 2022 // But a proposed “paycheck protection” bill would end this practice by prohibiting school districts, and other public employers, from automatically deducting contributions to political action committees out of employee wages.

    AFFT AFSCME Americans for Fair Treatment Broad + Liberty Commonwealth Foundation Danielle Acker Susanj Fairness Center First Amendment HB 2048 House Labor and Industry Committee Kevin Mooney PAC PACs Paycheck Protection Pennsylvania State Education Association political activities PSEA public employee unions Rep. Ryan Mackenzie school districts SEIU SEIU COPE Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education Stephen Bloom Taxpayer resources unions Voluntary contributions wage deduction

    News Article ● Labor

    Pennsylvania Unions Ignore SCOTUS Ruling, Keep Forcing Teachers To Pay Dues

    December 2, 2021 //

    Abington Heights Education Association AHEA Americans for Fair Treatment City of Jeannette David Osborne David Perrotti dues East Stroudsburg fair share Fairness Center Janus Janus v. AFSCME Justice Samuel Alito Kevin Mooney membership Nathan McGrath New Kensington-Arnold Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Public School Employees Pennsylvania State Education Association political activities SCOTUS Steel Valley Supreme Court teachers