Pennsylvania’s incoming governor should follow Tennessee’s lead when it comes to dealing with unions, a labor policy analyst in Pennsylvania says
Originally published in RealClearPennsylvania
After contributing nearly $11 million to Governor-elect Josh Shapiro’s campaign, executives of Pennsylvania’s biggest labor union will surely expect a return on their investment. But for Shapiro, fulfilling those expectations would be a grave mistake, as the incoming governor can learn by studying contrasting examples from Illinois and Tennessee.
During his campaign, Shapiro promised that he would “not only protect the right to organize, but expand it.” He promised public-sector unions donating to his campaign that he’d invite them to a “big old veto-signing ceremony” if presented with right-to-work legislation.
These promises didn’t come without a price tag. The state’s largest teachers’ union, the Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), and its national affiliate donated more than $1 million to Shapiro’s campaign. The powerful public-sector unions American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) chipped in another $1 million each. Unions also used their respective positions of authority to campaign for Shapiro with rank-and-file union members.
Read more at RealClearPennsylvania
David Osborne is the Senior Fellow of Labor Policy with the Commonwealth Foundation, Pennsylvania’s free-market think tank.
Originally published by Commonwealth Foundation. Republished with permission.
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