Promoting ways to attack union revenue streams headlined
discussion at the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council
(ALEC) in August. ALEC supporters highlighted pension reform —
movement from defined benefit to defined contribution plans, and education reform
as useful against unions.
So-called "pension
liberation" programs are based on defined
contribution strategies, which tie the plan — and any associated risks — to the
employee and in the process significantly lessen an employer’s responsibility
for pension contributions and maintenance. Such measures also
diminish collective bargaining power in pensions and endanger Cost of Living
Adjustments. Public employees, many of whom are unionized, rely upon
defined benefit pensions.
ALEC supporters also cited education reform as a key tool to
combat teachers’ unions and threaten union revenue. School voucher programs
and Charter School bills were cited as effective means of distracting resources and attention from unionized
public schools. Charter schools often operate as separate entities outside of
collective bargaining agreements, do not offer tenure and siphon tax dollars
from public schools. Some supporters voiced their opposition to the "Goals
2000" program as an `NEA tenure act,’ citing language requiring teachers to be
active in a professional organization.
Vice President for Leadership, at CPA .
