New York's government unions collectively spent more on lobbying last year than the state's biggest trial lawyers, landlord, tobacco and hospital interests combined. And topping the list, as usual, was New York’s powerful conglomerate of public education unions. Read More
Count New York’s government-employee unions among the biggest winners of this year’s budget battle — with taxpayers as the big losers. In the dead of night, the Legislature adopted language that aims to protect public unions’ political power from a likely US Supreme Court ruling. Read More
Hey, Big Labor, Albany’s got your back. A provision tucked into the state budget gives public-employee unions the right to deny many services, such as free legal help, to covered employees who opt not to join or pay dues. Read More
For a second consecutive year, the state Assembly is poised to pass a union-backed bill that would make it harder for New York government employees to opt out of union membership. This time, at least, it may be debated first. Read More
A ruling for Janus would be a win for workers, forcing unions to focus more on treating their members like paying customers — and less on squeezing taxpayers. Read More
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday in Janus v. AFSCME, a constitutional challenge to the dues-like union fees many state and local government workers must now pay. The outcome could shake the foundations of public-sector union power across the nation—especially in New York. Read More
The state-mandated hourly compensation of construction workers on New York public works projects generally rose by double the 17 percent inflation rate over the past decade-but most of those added dollars did not boost workers' pay, according to "prevailing wage" schedules for major building trades. Read More
New York’s government unions could lose up to $110 million a year depending on the outcome of an upcoming Supreme Court case that is fighting automatic union due deductions, according to a study released Tuesday. Read More