Workplace Freedom
When it comes to unionizing, workers should be free of intimidation. The Goldwater Institute’s Save Our Secret Ballot effort is ensuring workers have anonymous ballots in union votes.
We wanted to give you a quick update on our effort to end union worker “release time” – that’s when taxpayers pay government worker’s salaries and benefits, but instead of doing their government job, they are doing union work on the clock. You may remember that we filed a legal challenge to block the City of Phoenix from including release time in its contracts with unions because we believe it violates the Arizona Constitution’s ban on gifts of taxpayer money to private organizations.
If you've ever signed up for a magazine subscription, bought cable TV, or purchased something from an infomercial, you've probably encountered the automatic renewal process. After the initial subscription period ends, some companies continue charging you until you jump through myriad time-consuming hoops. And you may never get your money back.
If you’ve ever signed up for a magazine subscription, cable TV, or purchased something from an infomercial, you’ve probably encountered the automatic renewal process. After the initial subscription period ends, some companies continue charging you until you jump through myriad time-consuming hoops. And you may never get your money back.
It’s no secret that government unions need reform. Government workers earn nearly twice as much as their private sector counterparts, and taxpayers are paying for it. These inflated salaries and benefits are threatening to bankrupt Arizona cities. On top of that, unions spend millions to influence the outcome of elections, estimated to be $400 million this year alone, and support issues that are at odds with the limited government policies you and I support.
I’ll be blunt. Last year’s tepid reforms to the state’s pension systems were not enough.
Government unions claim “meet and confer” collective bargaining only promotes innocent brainstorming between government employees and employers about work conditions. But in reality, as with any other collective bargaining law, meet and confer laws legalize a shakedown of the taxpayer.
Government unions are trying to derail a series of common-sense reforms that would save taxpayers billions. During a rally at the Arizona State Capitol on March 1, 2012, union leaders bashed the Goldwater Institute and forward-thinking legislators for wanting to protect the pocketbooks of middle-class families in the state.
Unruly, inept and ineffective state workers would face more swift and sure discipline under an overhaul of government personnel rules being pushed by Gov. Jan Brewer.
Unruly, inept and ineffective state workers would face more swift and sure discipline under an overhaul of government personnel rules being pushed by Gov. Jan Brewer.