Disunion: The Government Union Report

A resolution targeting the Anti-Defamation League. Accusations of antisemitism. Calls for political activism in schools. How did America's largest teachers union become involved in these debates? David Osborne welcomes Clifford Smith of the North American Values Institute to unpack the controversies surrounding the NEA, the influence of activist movements in education, and the ongoing fight ov...

What happens when the union that claims to represent you stops representing your interests? On this episode of  Disunion , host David Osborne speaks with Chip Rogers, CEO of Americans for FairTreatment (AFFT), to unpack the rapid growth of the organization and the rising backlash among public sector workers. Growing from just a few hundred members to now more than 14,000 nationwide, AFFT is giving...

Most government union leaders are playing a long game, and it's costing taxpayers billions. In this episode of Disunion, host David Osborne talks with Frank Ricci, a former union president and labor expert, who exposes how unions have shifted from representing workers to controlling states like Connecticut.    Ricci reveals the hidden tactics they use to manipulate negotiations, evade accounta...

What does it  really  mean to be “pro-worker”? This week on  Disunion , host David Osborne is joined by  Austen Bannan  of Americans for Prosperity and  Vincent Vernuccio , president of the Institute for the American Worker, to break down a sweeping new report:  How to Empower Workers: Embracing a Pro-Worker Agenda Built on Choice . With Congress rolling out a flurry of labor bills—from right-to-w...

Why have public-sector unions drifted from improving workplaces to driving culture-war politics? Fr. George Schultze, SJ — former labor organizer, scholar, and spiritual director — joins  Disunion  to explain how government unions abandoned their historic mission of uplifting workers and instead embraced a post-modern, power-centered ideology. We explore the roots of the labor movement, the moral...

Public schools keep adding more administrators while student performance stagnates—and teachers see little benefit. In this episode of  Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne sits down with Corey DeAngelis and Christos Makridis to unpack their research on how teachers unions drive administrative growth at the expense of classrooms. Corey and Christos explain why student enrollm...

Former New York City public school teacher  Karen Feldman  spent more than 25 years in the classroom, earning awards for her groundbreaking Holocaust education curriculum. But in recent years, she witnessed a disturbing shift: professional development and classroom resources promoting anti-Israel narratives, often backed by teachers’ unions and the DOE. Now leading the  NYCPS Alliance , Karen has...

On this episode of  Disunion , host David R. Osborne welcomes Sarah Harbison of the Pelican Institute to unpack the high-stakes legislative drama surrounding Louisiana’s recent public-sector union reform bill. What began as a straightforward “opt-in” bill—requiring government union members to annually confirm their membership and allowing them to resign at any time—quickly turned into a political...

Renowned legal scholar Richard A. Epstein joins David Osborne to dissect the legal foundations and economic consequences of public sector unionization. From the early days of private labor unions to the rise of government unions, Epstein explains how collective bargaining has evolved—and why public sector collective bargaining, in his view, breach the public trust. They explore everything from the...

In this episode of  Disunion , host David R. Osborne is joined by Will Sussman of the Manhattan Institute to discuss a disturbing development out of Massachusetts: the state’s largest teachers union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), has come under fire for promoting anti-Semitic classroom materials. Will and David break down the details of a shocking legislative hearing, where lawmake...

In this episode of  Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne is joined by J.C. Bowman, Executive Director and CEO of Professional Educators of Tennessee, to explore a groundbreaking model of public sector labor relations: collaborative conferencing. Bowman explains how Tennessee moved away from adversarial collective bargaining toward a more cooperative, teacher-driven process th...

In this episode of  Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne welcomes Utah State Representative Jordan Teuscher to discuss his groundbreaking  Public Sector Labor Union Amendments  bill. Teuscher explains how the legislation aims to increase transparency, protect worker rights, and limit union influence in government operations. They explore the bill's key provisions, includi...

In this episode of  Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne welcomes Steve Delie, Director of Labor Policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, to discuss the continued decline of union membership in both the private and public sectors. They explore why unionization rates are dropping despite high-profile organizing efforts, the impact of the landmark 2018  Janus  decision,...

Jake Altman, author of Socialism before Sanders , joins Disunion: The Government Union Report podcast host David R. Osborne to discuss labor unions and their challenges. Altman, a former union leader, criticizes extreme leftist positions within unions, citing examples like campus protests. He advocates for democratic reforms, transparency, and inclusive decision-making in unions. Altman suggests t...

In this episode, Liya Palagashvili, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center, joins host David R. Osborne to discuss her forthcoming research on the costs and benefits of powerful labor unions.  Her findings suggest that, while unions can secure higher wages in the short term, they may lead to slower employment growth and fewer jobs in the long run. They explore the impact of union strength...

In this episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David R. Osborne interviews Nathan McGrath, President and General Counsel of The Fairness Center, about a potential Supreme Court case involving exclusive representation by unions in public-sector employment. The case, Goldstein v. PSC , involves six professors challenging a faculty union’s status as their exclusive representative. Th...

How does public union policy impact you? More than you may realize.  Disunion: The Government Union Report’s David R. Osborne hosts Miley Smith, Senior Director of Labor Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute to discuss the impact of Illinois' Amendment One - which grants a fundamental right to unionize and expands bargaining rights. Amendment One is unique in its scope and has led to legislative...

In this episode, host David Osborne is joined by Commonwealth Foundation Policy Analyst Andrew Holman. Together they co-authored co-author the most up to date report on public sector labor laws: The Battle for Worker Freedom: Grading State Public Sector Labor Laws. David and Andrew discuss the latest developments in public sector labor policy on the podcast while highlighting the following: - Mich...

In this insightful episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne is joined by James Sherk, the Director of the Center for American Freedom, to delve into public sector labor policy. The discussion highlights key issues and common misrepresentations within the sector. Sherk outlines significant achievements in enhancing job satisfaction among federal employees, while Osborne...

Get ready for a riveting episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report! Host David Osborne is joined by The Daily Signal Investigative Columnist and WIBC radio host Tony Kinnett for an eye-opening discussion on the powerful influence of teacher unions. Dive deep into how these unions are shaping state primaries by targeting Republican candidates and wielding their financial muscle to sway educa...

In this episode, host David R. Osborne and Vice President and Legal Director of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation Bill Messenger delve into the complexities of public sector unionization. The conversation heats up as they debate the challenges posed by compulsory union dues, exclusive representation, and the processes of union certification and decertification. They examine the d...

Join host David Osborne and guest Christian Barnard (Assistant Director of Education Reform at Reason Foundation) as they delve into the intricate dynamics behind the stagnant teacher salaries despite soaring investments in education. In this thought-provoking podcast, they dissect the complexities of benefit costs, labor policies, and union subsidies that divert crucial funds away from instructio...

In this episode of Disunion: The Government Union Report , host David Osborne interviews a physical education teacher John Grande. Mr. Grande has been a teacher for 36 years. After expressing frustration with mandatory diversity training, he was disciplined by his employer. He has now filed a lawsuit arguing his First Amendment rights were violated when he faced disciplinary action for answering a...

How did teachers' unions morph from representing teachers’ needs to some of the largest special interest and politically active organizations in our country?  In the series premier of Disunion: The Government Union Report, join host David Osborne and guest Professor Michael Hartney as they dive into an enlightening discussion on the frameworks in place that subsidize the power and influence of...

Join host and Commonwealth Foundation Senior Fellow for Labor Policy David R. Osborne as we dive into discussions of the positive public policies that would clear up what has become the murky world of government unions.