Posts tagged Transparency
Owens Leads Labor Union Transparency Bill
March 21, 2024 // Imagine a scenario where an employee, without the knowledge of their colleagues and employer, is receiving compensation from a union while advocating for its interests within the workplace,” said Congressman Burgess Owens “This deception not only breeds suspicion but also erodes the very foundation of trust and transparency between employers and employees. The #SALTAct seeks to address this issue by requiring union salts to disclose their affiliation with the Department of Labor, ensuring transparency and fairness in the workplace.”
Sen. Joni Ernst Introduces Legislation To Track Taxpayer Dollars Subsidizing Federal Employee Unions
March 15, 2024 // President Joe Biden’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) stopped reporting “taxpayer-funded union time,” or “official time,” which agencies use to pay federal employees to conduct activities on behalf of federal employee labor unions, not the agencies which employ them or U.S. taxpayers. In 2019, which is the last year for which data is available, OPM reported that union activities during official time cost taxpayers $135 million. Federal employees spent 2.6 million hours, or 296 years, working for their union instead of doing their agency jobs.
Boarded The Teachers’ Union Takeover of NY School Districts
November 21, 2023 // NYSUT’s involvement in state and federal elections is well-documented, but the low turnout in New York’s generally nonpartisan school board elections has given it an even bigger opportunity. The union also isn’t stopping with school boards: its electoral efforts involve elevating members to local, state and federal office, positions from which union members could eventually affect every facet of education policy. The system of campaign finance rules that regulate everything from elections for governor down to town assessors does not cover school board elections.
ATTORNEYS AT CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ANNOUNCE UNIONIZATION
November 20, 2023 // If their union is recognized, the attorneys at the Center for Reproductive Rights will join more than 2,700 members of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (ALAA) – UAW Local 2325. ALAA – UAW Local 2325 is a union for legal and social service workers, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, investigators, receptionists, interpreters, advocates, administrative staff, and counselors with chapters at 25+ non-profits in the NYC metropolitan area. The Union represents members at public defender and public interest legal organizations such as the Legal Aid Society, Bronx Defenders, Neighborhood Defender Service, Queens Defenders, Brooklyn Defender Services, as well as advocates for the indigent at non-profit social services organizations such as VOCAL-NY and New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE). The Association of Legal Aid Attorneys is the oldest union of attorneys, legal services, and advocates for the indigent in the United States.
EdWeek Employees Vote to Form a Union
November 5, 2023 // The union will represent 55 employees in the bargaining unit, which includes nonmanagerial reporters, visual artists, digital and engagement specialists, the EdWeek Research Center, marketing and advertising professionals, accounting, and other staff, according to Sarah Schwartz, a reporter at Education Week and a member of the EdWeek Union organizing committee. “We’re thrilled to see that EdWeek employees have voted to unionize. This is the first step in making sure that all of our colleagues have the protections they deserve,” Schwartz said. “We’re really excited to work with all of our colleagues in the unit as we determine priorities for bargaining going forward and we’re also looking forward to working collaboratively with management.”
Opinion: Unions’ deceptive ‘salting’ loophole leaves a bad taste
November 3, 2023 // Workers United — a Service Employees International Union affiliate — hired labor organizers who got jobs at Starbucks, then pushed for unionization on the coffee company’s dime — while also collecting a union paycheck. These “salts” start by building trust with workers. As one Starbucks salt told a group of fellow organizers, it’s best to do “thankless chores” that gain the appreciation of peers and “make the company less suspicious of you.”
End the Practice of Federal Government Serving as Unions’ Bill Collector
August 9, 2023 // The Paycheck Protection Act would help federal employees by requiring their unions to be more transparent and accountable to them. It would protect taxpayers by no longer requiring them to foot the bill for a private organization’s bill collections. And it would eliminate the special-interest bill collection subsidy granted to federal employee unions.
Federal Contractors Must Publicize Whether They Use Union Avoidance ‘Persuaders’
August 2, 2023 // Likewise, this information may result in organized labor ratcheting up pressure on employers to abandon these practices and on the federal government to refuse to do business with any contractor that engages in persuader activity, Pryzbylski noted. "The bottom line here is that companies who are contractors with the federal government should be cognizant of the fact that their use of persuaders in labor relations matters will be receiving more scrutiny and could potentially impact the award of contracts in the future," he said.
Burlison introduces bill to stop automatic Union payroll deductions
July 31, 2023 // Missouri 7th District Representative Eric Burlison introduced the Paycheck Protection Act, which will establish transparency and protect the rights of federal employees by prohibiting labor unions from deducting dues directly from their paychecks. Labor unions, unlike other dues-paying membership groups, are allowed to deduct dues directly from paychecks. The Paycheck Protection Act would eliminate this practice by requiring federal labor unions to collect dues payments directly from their members. Burlison said the measure will empower workers with vital information about the exact amount of dues they pay, thereby promoting transparency, financial awareness, and informed decision-making.
DeSantis touts ‘Teacher Bill of Rights’ as he signs 5 education bills Tuesday in Miami
May 11, 2023 // “This bill gives Florida teachers a voice and a choice,” said Senior Labor Policy Advisor Vincent Vernuccio. “Teachers and other public workers will know their rights. They’ll know exactly how much union membership costs them each year. And they’ll know that, if their union isn’t serving them, they can do something about it.” Workers for Opportunity said the legislation drew from its proposed reforms giving employees more control over their paychecks and union representation.