Posts tagged Public Employees
As Michigan’s childcare costs rise, workers debate risks of unionizing
March 31, 2026 // Instead of childcare workers unionizing against owners, the model most commonly seen in childcare unions across the country is owners unionizing against their state, as Henderson is advocating for — specifically, childcare owners who receive state reimbursement payments for care they provide low-income families and therefore can be considered state employees. The purpose is to get more robust and permanent public dollars through contract negotiation to fund things providers say they can’t currently afford because of limits on their revenue, like higher wages, insurance benefits, and overall more stability for the struggling industry. Critics of this model say childcare providers shouldn't be considered public employees just because they receive payments from the state or put in a position where they may feel they have to pay union dues. They also say the fractured layout of the industry doesn't lend itself well to unionization and could create division among already under-resourced owners and staff.
NIPSCO union employees authorize strike in weekend vote
March 31, 2026 // But when the clock strikes midnight March 31, union negotiators will either get a contract extension, agree to work without a contract while negotiating continues, get locked out by the company or go on strike, he said.
Wisconsin saw steepest decline in union membership over 40-year period, report finds
March 30, 2026 // . “The only thing they could bargain on was their pay, and that was limited by law to never exceed the rate of inflation.” All of that, paired with a new requirement for every union to hold a recertification vote every year, means “many, many public-sector unions simply vanished,” Heywood said.
Op-Ed: Are unions intentionally exploiting the language barrier?
March 26, 2026 // They don’t know dues are voluntary. They don’t know they can stop payments. They don’t even know they have a choice. And just as importantly — they’re too often made to feel like they shouldn’t ask.
Public employee unions push to sweeten retirement
March 15, 2026 // At a massive rally in Albany, public employees attacked Tier VI, the state law that restricts pensions for workers under the age of 63. Fiscal conservatives argue that unions want taxpayers to pay them more for working less. The unions counter that it’s a matter of fairness — and it’s making it hard to recruit talent.
Public payroll deductions for union fees stand after House fails to override Gov. Gordon’s veto
March 14, 2026 // An effort to override Gov. Mark Gordon’s veto of a controversial bill to block public employers from administering voluntary payroll deductions for union membership fees failed to receive the necessary two-thirds vote Wednesday in the House. Proponents of House Bill 178, “Public unions-transparency and dues withdrawal limitations,” sponsored by Lusk Republican Rep. JD Williams, had two primary arguments: It’s not the proper role of public employers to facilitate deductions when it comes to certain unions, and providing the service is an improper expense.
Willamette Week: Impending PCC strikes might be testing ground for new benefits law
March 10, 2026 // Last year Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass controversial legislation allowing workers on strike to collect unemployment benefits. The law went into effect Jan. 1. Two unions of employees working at Portland Community College could go on strike next week.
Vernuccio, Institute For The American Worker on The William Wallis for America Show
March 10, 2026 // Vernuccio, Institute For The American Worker on The William Wallis for America Show Vinny Vernuccio is the President of The Institute For The American Worker. In this interview at The Pelican Institutes Solutions Summit he talks about legislative ideas he is working on in DC to help the average American Worker.
Ct. Employees Sue Unions for Ignoring Financial Disclosure Law
February 27, 2026 // According to the lawsuit, Connecticut unions to which the law applies have not filed the required reports for decades. Meanwhile, the state’s labor commissioner has said that the agency is choosing not to enforce this statute. The plaintiffs, criminal justice professor Earl Ormond and corrections officer Ryan Bilodeau, are asking the court to step in and require their unions to comply with the law. Their lawsuit could affect most of Connecticut’s more than 100,000 public employees.
Freedom Foundation Challenges Oregon’s Unconstitutional Speech Law in Federal Court
February 17, 2026 // “We made a strong constitutional case today. HB 3789 uses undefined terms and severe financial penalties to target speech the unions don’t like,” said Freedom Foundation Litigation Counsel Rebekah Schultheiss. “The First Amendment doesn’t allow that, and we’re confident the court will recognize this law for what it is.” The law, which took effect on Jan. 1, allows unions to sue the Freedom Foundation for “impersonating” a union.