Posts tagged Rick Allen
House GOP panel accuses nation’s largest teachers union of exploiting members’ retirement benefits
September 29, 2025 // Committee Chairman Tim Walberg of Michigan and committee members Rick Allen of Georgia, Kevin Kiley of California and Virginia Foxx of North Carolina shared a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that showed retirement services provider Security Benefit paid the nation’s largest teachers’ union a $4 million annual “base fee” for the exclusive right to sell annuities and mutual funds to teachers in 2023-24. They noted that Department of Labor reports show the NEA receiving more than $61 million in “service level agreement” or “advertising revenue” since 2005, even as the union maintains in its 2024 SEC filing that it received “no dividends, royalties, profit, or licensing fees” from Security Benefit.
Americans for Prosperity Leads Employee Rights Act Coalition
September 8, 2025 // Protect workers’ right to a secret ballot in union elections. Preserve flexible self-employment career-paths across American industries. Protect small businesses that operate as franchises and vendors for other businesses. Give workers control over their personal information during union campaigns. Allow workers in Right-to-Work states to opt out of union representation. Require opt-in consent for union political spending. Prohibit mandatory DEI mandates in union contracts. Ensure only citizens or authorized workers vote in union elections.
Georgia sets the national standard for pro-worker leadership
September 2, 2025 // Rep. Rick Allen, from Georgia’s 12th congressional district, recently re-introduced the Employee Rights Act—the single most important pro-worker in America today. The Employee Rights Act is full of reforms that would protect and strengthen workers’ rights. Building on Georgia’s state policy, it would require the secret ballot for all unionization elections in America—no more card check. It would also protect workers’ privacy by letting them determine what personal information unions can access. And in the 26 states like Georgia with right-to-work laws, the Employee Rights Act would let workers who opt out of union membership negotiate their own contracts—something they’re currently banned from doing.
Congress Probes Powerful Teachers’ Union Brass Spending Funds On Limo Rides
August 7, 2025 // The House Education and Workforce Committee inquired about public records showing that the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) spent more than $100,000 on private limousine services since September 2023 in a Thursday letter to the AFT. Lawmakers have also received reports from unnamed sources that Weingarten, the union’s president, has paid for other conveniences such as a private driver, the letter says.
Commentary: How to end the ‘free rider’ problem with union representation
July 21, 2025 // It’s a fair compromise that empowers workers by giving them more choices. They can still join in collective bargaining with their fellow workers if they want or go it on their own if they think they can do better. It may prove to be beneficial to unions as well. It will prod them to become more customer-oriented towards their members, rather than taking them for granted. A union won’t have the drain of providing for non-members. Unions that can prove they’re doing well by their members will have a solid recruitment message.
The Roadmap To Modernizing Federal Labor Laws: Matt Kittle, F. Vincent Vernuccio
July 20, 2025 // That's one of the main things that we want to see at I4AW. Is workers having a choice in a voice, having. The ability to say who they want to be represented by, how they want their money spent, and how they want to work. And I know we talked about it briefly with the ERA, but the ability for an independent contractor to work for themselves, not be considered an employee, small business owner, to own a franchise, all those things are core to what the flexibility and the entrepreneurship of the modern worker, and those are the concepts that are embraced, you know, not just on the union end of the Employee Rights Act, but on the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit and pro worker end of the ERA.
Federal and State Leaders Take Aim at Empowering America’s Flexible Workforce
July 16, 2025 // However, while federal leaders build support for national reforms to help workers all across America, states are not sitting idle. They know that not only do self-employed workers support greater access to portable benefits, but their residents in general think this warrants policy reforms as well. Instead, many are forging ahead with legal pathways for flexible, portable benefits, maximizing what they can do at the state level in ways that will be further enhanced by federal reforms when they occur. Many states introduced legislation this year to legalize voluntary benefits, but several pioneering states now have laws enacted.
One Big Beautiful Law on American Radio Journal
July 7, 2025 // This week on American Radio Journal: Lowman Henry talks with Vincent Vernuccio from the Institute for the American Worker about the proposed Employee Rights Act of 2025;
Vincent Vernuccio What is the Employee Rights Act, and would it be a great move for America
July 7, 2025 // "big kudos to Representative Rick Allen from Georgia, who introduced it last week. This is quite simply the most comprehensive pro-worker legislation of this Congress. It protects workers' right to a secret ballot. It protects their choice in right-to-work states if they want to be under a union contract or not. It protects their privacy. It gives them the choice of whether or not to fund union politics. It protects independent workers, the franchise industry, American workers, and multiple other things.
Congressman Allen Introduces the Employee Rights Act of 2025
June 27, 2025 // "With Republicans leading the way, our economy is booming like never before—but our federal labor laws are stuck in the past," said Chairman Walberg. "After years of Biden-Harris efforts to manipulate labor laws to favor activists and union leaders, we need updated policies that protect workers’ independence and interests in today’s evolving workforce. The Employee Rights Act is another strong step in reversing policies that undermine workers’ independence and fail to hold union leadership accountable to their members. I will always support giving workers the right to choose their own path to success." "The Employee Rights Act is the most comprehensive labor legislation of this Congress, from protecting the secret ballot and unionization elections, to safeguarding workers from harassment and protecting their privacy, to putting workers in control of their own destiny. It truly puts the American worker first. We applaud Representative Allen for his steadfast leadership and support of worker freedom," said F. Vincent Vernuccio, President of the Institute for the American Worker.