Teacher Unions

New Press Release: Employee Lawsuit Pushes Teacher Union Bosses to Refund Dues, Allow Educators to Resign

Will Collins — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:36:15 -0500

Employee Lawsuit Pushes Teacher Union Bosses to Refund Dues, Allow Educators to Resign

Despite a partial victory, Right to Work Foundation presses forward with
lawsuit to ensure all public educators’ rights are protected

Louisville, KY (November 18, 2009) – Facing an embarrassing legal setback from rank-and-file teachers, Jefferson County Teacher Association (JCTA union officials announced their intention to refund several educators’ forced dues and allow public school employees to resign from union membership during a new window period and terminate certain forced dues payments.

Right to Work Experts in the News: Labor Day Highlights Injustices of Compulsory Unionism

Anthony Riedel — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:40:54 -0400

Experts from the National Right to Work Foundation and Right to Work Committee took to the airwaves and opinion pages across America to remind us what Labor Day is really about — the individual worker.

Mark Mix, president of National Right to Work, reminded Americans that "It's 'Labor' Day, Not 'Union' Day" in his nationally published op-ed which appeared in over 20 newspapers across the country. In his article, Mix offers a stouthearted rebuke to the usual union boss propaganda which has become commonplace on Labor Day:

This Labor Day, big labor bosses will dish out their usual Labor Day propaganda about how awful our lives would supposedly be without them. The reality is that millions of workers and indeed our economy are continuing to suffer greatly under the scourge of compulsory unionism.

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Massachusetts Teacher Union Bosses Nix Education Grant, Reject Higher Pay for Teachers

Will Collins — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:50:55 -0400

Some actions defy explanation (emphasis mine):

Several parents and members of the Leominster School Committee said Monday they are upset that the teachers' union voted recently to reject a large grant that seeks to increase the number of students in Advanced Placement courses.

"I think it's a vote against children," School Committee vice chairwoman Donna DiNinno said. "This would have been such a boost for students in our AP and honors program. I am very disappointed."

School Committee member Christopher Orareo said he does not understand how the union could turn down a grant that would have provided the district with $856,000 during a five-year period, when the community is fighting for every penny it can get into the classrooms.

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Shameless Priorities: Teachers FIRED for Refusing to Pay Union Dues... But Do Yoga, Play Scrabble for Sexual Misconduct

Nick Cote — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:21:58 -0400

In a troubling, but not unprecedented example of the abuses that come with radical teacher unions, the Associated Press reports that 700 public school teachers in New York City are enjoying full salaries of $70,000 to not teach:

Greedy Detroit Union Boss Threatens Firings: Teachers, Your Money or Your Jobs!

Anthony Riedel — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:05:46 -0400

The Detroit Free Press reports that the Detroit Federation of Teachers union is threatening to have up to 70 teachers fired for not paying forced union dues. A school district error is mainly responsible for the mix up.

Yet, because of the clerical error, union official Mark O'Keefe stated that the "fair" thing to do would be to fire the teachers who fail to pay the full union dues.

No, Mark. The "fair" thing to do is to not require teachers to pay ANY union dues as a condition of teaching Detroit's schoolchildren.

Washington State Appeals Court Upholds Teachers’ Right to Restitution for Dues Illegally Spent By WEA Union Officials

Patrick Semmens — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:50:00 -0500

Washington State Appeals Court Upholds Teachers’ Right to Restitution for Dues Illegally Spent By WEA Union Officials

After securing U.S. Supreme Court victory, National Right to Work attorneys pick up the pieces of an otherwise impotent campaign finance regulation

Seattle, WA (December 17, 2008) — A recent decision by a Washington State Court of Appeals, Division 2, has ruled union officials can be held liable for illegally spending teachers’ forced union dues under a now-effectively defunct campaign finance regulation.

Coldwater Teacher Files Federal Suit Against Ohio Teacher Union Notorious for Religious Discrimination

Anthony Riedel — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:10:38 -0500

With free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys, a fourth grade teacher from Ohio has filed a federal suit against Ohio's largest teacher union for religious discrimination:

Columbus, OH (December 4, 2008) – A fourth grade teacher from the Coldwater Exempted Village School District has filed a federal suit against the state’s largest teacher union for forcing her to pay compulsory union fees to fund the union whose activities violate her religious faith.

National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation attorneys, providing the teacher with free legal aid, filed the suit this week in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division.

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Fact Check: Forced Dues Equals Forced Unionism

Nick Cote — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:31:19 -0500

On Monday, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review published an editorial criticizing the special privileges Pennsylvania law gives to teacher unions:

The Pennsylvania State Education Association causes untold damage to kids, taxpayers and the commonwealth. Few Pennsylvanians know how costly is this teacher union. But the public has the power to tame the beast.

With more than 185,500 members, 281 full-time employees and an annual income above $84 million, the PSEA is one of the state's wealthiest, largest and most politically active labor unions, reports The Commonwealth Foundation, a public-policy, free-market think tank in Harrisburg.

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Reminder: Time is Running Out for Rebates for Employees Under the IAM and Washington State Teacher Union

Anthony Riedel — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:04:10 -0500

Recently, Foundation attorneys notified employees represented by the Machinists union (IAM) and Washington Education Association union (WEA) nonmembers of their opportunity to reclaim a portion of their forced union dues from supporting the union officials' politics as determined by law and Foundation-won court precedent.

Employees Represented by IAM

In the National Right to Work Foundation's "Special Legal Notice to Employees Represented by the Machinists union", it states that:

New Right to Work Podcast: Compulsory Unionism and Public Education

Will Collins — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:56:00 -0500

In the latest episode, Foundation VP Stefan Gleason sits down with Matt Brouillette of the Pennsylvania-based Commonwealth Foundation to discuss the compulsory unionism stranglehold over much of America's educational system. Check it out:

Teacher Unions

New Press Release: Employee Lawsuit Pushes Teacher Union Bosses to Refund Dues, Allow Educators to Resign

Employee Lawsuit Pushes Teacher Union Bosses to Refund Dues, Allow Educators to Resign

Despite a partial victory, Right to Work Foundation presses forward with lawsuit to ensure all public educators’ rights are protected

Right to Work Experts in the News: Labor Day Highlights Injustices of Compulsory Unionism

Massachusetts Teacher Union Bosses Nix Education Grant, Reject Higher Pay for Teachers

Shameless Priorities: Teachers FIRED for Refusing to Pay Union Dues... But Do Yoga, Play Scrabble for Sexual Misconduct

Greedy Detroit Union Boss Threatens Firings: Teachers, Your Money or Your Jobs!

Washington State Appeals Court Upholds Teachers’ Right to Restitution for Dues Illegally Spent By WEA Union Officials

Washington State Appeals Court Upholds Teachers’ Right to Restitution for Dues Illegally Spent By WEA Union Officials

After securing U.S. Supreme Court victory, National Right to Work attorneys pick up the pieces of an otherwise impotent campaign finance regulation

Coldwater Teacher Files Federal Suit Against Ohio Teacher Union Notorious for Religious Discrimination

Fact Check: Forced Dues Equals Forced Unionism

Reminder: Time is Running Out for Rebates for Employees Under the IAM and Washington State Teacher Union

New Right to Work Podcast: Compulsory Unionism and Public Education

Despite a partial victory, Right to Work Foundation presses forward with
lawsuit to ensure all public educators’ rights are protected