Author: Janie Valentine

  • Union Station: Pennsylvania judge says state fair share fees law is unconstitutional

    Posted on

     Judge Leonard G. Brown III of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas said in an order issued on May 23 that Pennsylvania’s Fair Share Fee Law is unconstitutional under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in Janus v. AFSCME. Brown’s order does not overturn the Pennsylvania law.  About the case The plaintiffs, public school…

  • Three candidates running for Republican nomination in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District

    Posted on

    Nicole Hasso, Gary Leffler, and Zach Nunn are running in the Republican primary for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District on June 7, 2022. Hasso and Nunn lead in endorsements and fundraising. According to the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel, “It’s been a relatively low-key primary race ahead of what is expected to be one of the hottest general…

  • Department of Justice says National Guard members can unionize while on state active duty

    Posted on

    On May 17, the U.S. Department of Justice settled a lawsuit four unions filed asking a federal court to declare that a federal law prohibiting members of the armed forces from unionizing did not apply to members of the National Guard on state active duty.  About the case Four unions representing workers in Connecticut—American Federation…

  • Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu resigns

    Posted on

    Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu announced on May 23 that he would resign after information about an ongoing federal corruption investigation was made public earlier this month. Sidhu’s resignation was effective May 24. According to a May 12 affidavit, the purpose of the FBI investigation is to determine whether Sidhu “shared privileged and confidential information with…

  • CMS rule allows states to deduct union dues, benefits from Medicaid payments

    Posted on

    On May 12, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a rule allowing states to make Medicaid payments to third parties, such as for union dues or benefits, on behalf of individual home care providers. About the rule The final rule “explicitly authorizes States to make payments to third parties on behalf of…

  • Little wins Republican primary for governor of Idaho

    Posted on

    Incumbent Gov. Brad Little defeated seven other candidates in the Republican primary for governor of Idaho on May 17, 2022. With over 95% of precincts reporting, Little had received 53% of the vote to Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin’s 32%. According to the Idaho Press‘s Betsy Russell, an incumbent Idaho governor had not been challenged in a…

  • Incumbent Merriweather defeats Emry in Mecklenburg County district attorney race

    Posted on

    Incumbent Spencer Merriweather defeated Tim Emry in the May 17 Democratic primary for district attorney of North Carolina’s 26th Prosecutorial District in Mecklenburg County. Merriweather received 71% of the vote to Emry’s 29%. No Republicans ran for the office. Merriweather said that under his leadership, the district attorney’s office had “focused on the most serious…

  • U.S. House of Representatives votes to let staff bargain collectively

    Posted on

    U.S. House of Representatives votes to let staff bargain collectively  The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to allow staff to unionize and bargain collectively.  About the resolution Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) sponsored House Resolution 1096, which was introduced and passed on May 10. The House voted 217-202 along party lines to adopt the…

  • Jim Pillen wins Republican primary for Nebraska governor

    Posted on

    Jim Pillen defeated eight other candidates in the Republican Party primary for governor of Nebraska on May 10. Incumbent Gov. Pete Ricketts (R) was term-limited. Along with Pillen, Charles Herbster and Brett Lindstrom led the primary field in endorsements, funding, and media attention. The Lincoln Journal Star’s Don Walton wrote on May 1 that the primary had…

  • Ninth Circuit panel issues decisions in three public-sector union cases

    Posted on

    On April 28, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued decisions in three cases we’re tracking related to public-sector union policy. In each case, the judges upheld the decision of the district court.  About the cases  The panel—Senior U.S. Circuit Judge Richard Paez, U.S. Circuit Judge Jacqueline Nguyen,…