Posts tagged Worker freedom
Committee on the Education and Workforce Grapples with Unions and Lawmakers Being Out of Touch
September 29, 2026 // Chougule also pointed to the lack of support by unions and certain representatives on the Employment and the Workforce Committee, for the Employee Rights Act. The Act would require unions to obtain opt-in permission from a member before using his or her dues and fees on political activity or policy advocacy—a provision which enjoys 81% support from union households.
ALEC Releases 4th Edition of “States That Work” Labor Policy Rankings
September 14, 2026 // “States That Work shows that the states giving workers the greatest freedom to earn a living are also creating an environment where businesses and families can thrive,” said report author and ALEC Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force Director Alan Jernigan. “From protecting Right to Work to removing unnecessary licensing barriers, states have a clear roadmap for expanding opportunity without growing government.”
Michigan earns ‘D’ in government union, worker freedom report
September 10, 2026 // The report called many of these actions taken by states and unions “anti-freedom” proposals which leave workers confused on their rights and obligations. “Union executives are spending tens of millions of dollars to rewrite the rules of the game and bolster their political machine in every state, at the expense of freedom for government employees,” Osborne said. “State lawmakers across the country must stand up against anti-freedom labor proposals to ensure that every American worker has the right to choose whether or not to associate with a union, without coercion or fear, and that their hard-earned dollars don’t fund a political agenda they don’t support.”
Defend worker freedom this Labor Day
September 9, 2026 // “States with right-to-work laws enjoy lower unemployment rates, higher job growth, and higher wage and income growth compared with forced union states.” That’s according to a 2022 John Locke Foundation report from F. Vincent Vernuccio, former US Department of Labor official and current president of the Institute for the American Worker. Specifically, the report notes that between 2000 and 2019, personal income in right-to-work states grew by 56.4%, compared with just 40.6% in states without such laws. Also during that time, private-sector jobs in right-to-work states grew by 23.1%, which was almost double the 12.1% of growth in non–right-to-work states. The report also cites lower unemployment rates in right-to-work states. In states with the highest unemployment rates, the majority of them lacked such protections. Based on these superior worker outcomes, Vernuccio declares, “Right-to-work laws are decidedly pro-worker.” He concludes by saying, “In the end, right-to-work is about one thing: freedom. It protects workers by taking away a union’s ability to get them fired for not paying union dues.”
Editorial Board: In defense of the secret ballot
March 15, 2026 // In the case decided by the 6th Circuit, Brown-Forman challenged the basis for the NLRB’s Cemex ruling and won. The supposedly unfair labor practice committed at its Woodford Reserve bourbon distillery was giving workers a $4-per-hour raise, expanding merit-based salary increases, offering more vacation time and providing free bottles of bourbon. The employees voted 45-14 against unionizing, but the NLRB ordered the company to bargain with that union anyway. The advantage of secret-ballot elections is that workers are free of coercion by unions or employers when deciding whether they wish to unionize. It also ensures that their decisions are anonymous, so they won’t fear retaliation or harassment by aggressive union organizers or the people who pay their salaries. A secret ballot is far more likely to reflect their true views.
Empowering Workers in a Changing Economy with Vinnie Vernuccio | Let People Prosper Ep. 184
February 6, 2026 // Too many labor policies today assume workers need protection from choice. But the evidence shows the opposite. When workers can choose how they work, who represents them, and how they negotiate, they’re better off—economically and personally. Vinnie Vernuccio’s work reminds us that labor policy should serve workers as individuals, not institutions with political clout. If we want a labor market that adapts, innovates, and actually lifts people up, we need reforms rooted in freedom—not nostalgia.
Union Organizing Plummets in 2025: A Win for Worker Freedom and Choice
January 22, 2026 // For supporters of voluntary association and employee freedom, these numbers highlight a positive reality: fewer workers are being swept into union representation through the NLRB process. This trend aligns with broader patterns showing declining union density in the private sector, where membership hovers around just 6 percent of workers.[viii] Forced unionism—where employees can be compelled to pay dues or join as a condition of employment—continues to lose ground as more Americans exercise their right to opt out or avoid unionization altogether.
PODCAST: Empowering Workers with a Prosperous Future with Austen Bannan | Let People Prosper
January 15, 2026 // America’s labor policies are stuck in the past—designed for a 1930s economy that no longer exists. Meanwhile, workers have moved on. They want flexibility. They want choice. They want opportunity. And increasingly, government is standing in the way. My guest is Austen Bannan, Workforce Policy Fellow at Americans for Prosperity and one of the sharpest voices making the case for worker freedom over bureaucratic control. Austen works at the intersection of labor policy, occupational licensing, and education reform—where outdated rules quietly crush opportunity for millions of Americans.
Labor Unions Are Chipping Away at Worker Freedoms One Bill at a Time
October 14, 2025 // The so-called Faster Labor Contracts Act is one of the first steps in this new tactical departure. The legislation would force employers to begin bargaining with a new union in just ten days. If the two parties don’t reach an agreement in 90 days, the government forces mediation. One month after that, the matter goes to binding arbitration, meaning an outside arbitrator will dictate wages, benefits, and workplace rules for years to come. That’s not worker freedom. It’s top-down federal control. Americans recognize proposals like this for what they are: a Washington power grab. A U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey released just two weeks ago found that 90% of voters oppose government-mandated union contracts without worker approval.
Op-ed: When Workers Have Other Options: Rethinking Power in the Multi-Earner Economy
October 5, 2025 // Well, monopsony is the flip side: when one (or just a few) buyers dominate a market. In labor markets, that “buyer” is your employer. And when employers have monopsony power, they can pay you less than what your work is actually worth—because where else are you going to go? Here’s the thing: you don’t need to live in a company town with one employer to experience monopsony power. It happens if the cost of leaving your job is too high. Maybe you need the health insurance.