Whether it is exposing legislation and regulations that benefit unions, lawyers or management at the expense of workers, detailing the folly of occupational licensing laws; supporting the expansion of state right-to-work laws; or highlighting the overreach of lawmakers, bureaucrats, and courts; CEI advances reforms in this crucial, often overlooked policy area. Our op-eds, policy papers, media appearances, coalition work, and innovative research serve as crucial counterweights to the aggressive efforts by unions and their allies to frame the policy debate.
Labor and Employment Issue Areas
Featured Posts
Blog
Court rejects New York bid to take over federal labor enforcement
An effort by the New York legislature to usurp the role of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the main federal labor law enforcement agency,…
Law & Liberty
America’s Hidden Judiciary
Unbeknownst to most Americans, federal regulatory agencies have their own court system for adjudicating disputes that businesses and citizens have with regulators. These agencies rely…
Blog
New York, California make a play for federal labor law enforcement
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the main federal labor law enforcement agency, currently lacks a quorum to act. Ordinarily, that type of federal…
Search Posts
Blog
Pay Gap Myths Spread Around Equal Pay Day
In the lead up to Equal Pay Day this month, supporters of more federal pay regulations promoted myths about the pay gap between men and…
CNS News
Coercive Union Power Can Still Be Abated Despite SCOTUS Decision in Friedrichs
Public sector workers in over 20 states must continue paying union dues, like it or not, after the Supreme Court deadlocked in Friedrichs v California…
Blog
Union Bosses Order Verizon Workers to Strike
Today, union bosses ordered 36,000 Verizon workers on the east coast to strike. Nearly all of these employees, 99 percent, service the Verizon…
WMAL
36,000 Verizon workers go on strike
WMAL discusses the Verizon workers strike with Trey Kovacs. As the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Trey Kovacs puts it, the unions aren’t looking at…
Blog
PBGC’s Perverse Incentives Undermine Multiemployer Pensions
For years, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the federal agency that insures private sector defined benefit (DB) pension plans, has been severely underfunded below…
Watchdog.org
Public employee union spends $28 million on progressive politics
Watchdog.org discusses with Trey Kovacs the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees political spending of $28 million. Trey Kovacs, a policy analyst…
Blog
Federal Minimum Wage: The Case of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is in crisis and drowning in debt. Now it looks like the island’s Development Bank, set up to raise living standards in the…
Blog
Minimum Wages Tradeoffs: Are They Worth It?
Minimum wages help some workers, but only at other workers’ expense. Whether or not these tradeoffs are worth it is for each individual to decide.
Blog
California Minimum Wage Hike Could Cost State Taxpayers $10 Billion
California’s legislative analyst projects that the recent increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour will cost taxpayers $3.6 billion more a year in…
Foundation for Economic Education
Why Is the Middle Class So Angry?
The middle class is angry. Feeling left out of sharing in the nation’s prosperity the way they used to, they are increasingly turning to…
American Legislative Exchange Council
What Can be Done after Friedrichs?
Public sector workers in over 20 states must continue paying union dues, like it or not, after the Supreme Court deadlocked in Friedrichs v California…
Real Clear Policy
Minimum Wage: Is Job Loss Acceptable?
Finally, some minimum-wage advocates are acknowledging the policy's tradeoffs. New School economics professor David Howell recently asked the Washington Post, "Why shouldn't we in…
Blog
Wisconsin Judge Rules that Workers’ Wages are Unions’ Property
On Friday, April 8, a Wisconsin judge handed unions a surprising victory—surprising because of the argument behind his decision.
Charleston Gazette-Mail
Trey Kovacs: NLRB rule threatens worker privacy
Poll after poll indicates Americans value their privacy. Yet government is a top offender in this regard, with federal agencies infringing on private citizens’ information…
Inside Sources
NLRB Rule Threatens Worker Right to Privacy
Poll after poll indicates Americans value their privacy. Yet government is a top offender in this regard, with federal agencies infringing on private citizens’ information…
Blog
Air Traffic Control Reforms Will Give Us Modern Technology, Not Union Giveaways
Guest Post by David Grizzle Former Chief Operating Officer and Chief Counsel, FAA As the former chief operating officer and chief counsel at the…
Blog
Illinois Pension Reform that Can Pass State Supreme Court Muster
When you’re in a hole, stop digging. That seems like such a simple concept that it shouldn’t need stating, but in the area of public…
The Guardian
Conservatives vow to ask supreme court to rehear deadlocked union case
The Guardian discusses the Supreme Court's deadlock on the Friedrich's case with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a policy analyst with the Competitive Enterprise…
Reuters
U.S. top court hands win to unions, splits 4-4 without Scalia
Reuters speaks with Iain Murray about impact of Justice Scalia's passing on a labor union case. "The death of Justice Scalia has proved…
Fortune
How Scalia’s Death Handed Public Unions a Huge Supreme Court Victory
Fortune discusses with Iain Murray the impact of Justice Scalia's death on the outcome of a labor case. “The death of Justice Scalia…
Blog
State Legislatures Can Dampen Friedrichs Ruling’s Blow to Worker Freedom
Today, the Supreme Court announced a 4 to 4 spilt decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association, a decision that keeps alive the Abood…
New York Times
Victory for Unions as Supreme Court, Scalia Gone, Ties 4-4
New York Times discusses the Supreme Court deadlock over the Friedrichs case with Trey Kovacs. “With a divided court, thousands of public servants…
Washington Examiner
Supreme Court ruling signals end to conservative hopes for labor reform
The Washington Examiner discusses the Supreme Court's deadlock over the Friedrichs case with Iain Murray. "The death of Justice Scalia has proved a…
Christian Science Monitor
Court without Scalia: Labor unions survive bid to remove dues requirement
The Christian Science Monitor discusses with Iain Murray the impact of Justice Scalia's passing on the Supreme Court decision on a labor union case. …
Daily Caller
China Stops Building Wind Turbines Because Most Of The Energy Is Wasted
The Daily Caller reports on why China is no longer building wind turbines, and speaks with Myron Ebell on their decision. “China is…
Los Angeles Times
Supreme Court’s deadlock on union fees could be the first of many tie votes
The Los Angeles Times quotes Trey Kovacs on the Supreme Court deadlock over the Friedrichs case. “With a divided court, thousands of public…
News Release
Supreme Court Deadlocks on Friedrichs Labor Union Case
The U.S. Supreme Court announced a deadlock, 4 to 4 decision, in a major case involving forced labor union dues, Friedrichs v. California Teachers…
Blog
Freedom of Contract at Risk in Carcano v. McCrory
Virginia’s Dillon rule prevents cities and counties from regulating the employment practices of private businesses. That bars them from setting minimum wages higher than…
Blog
Illinois’ Narrow Road to Pension Reform
On March 24, the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a Chicago pension reform bill that sought to address the city’s considerable pension shortfall. In…
Blog
NLRB Case against McDonald’s Shows Need for Labor Law Reform
At the beginning of the month, the National Labor Relations Board and McDonald’s trial began. The case will determine whether McDonald’s is a joint…
Blog
The Public Pays for Union Political Activity
Taxpayer dollars in state and municipal governments across the country are, normally without public knowledge, used to subsidize government union political undertakings. Clearly, this is…
Republican American
Union business
Republican American reports on Connecticut state employees taking union time funded by taxpayers, and cites Trey Kovacs's report for the Yankee Institute. The Yankee report was prepared…
Blog
Congress Proposes Bill to Nullify Overtime Regulation
This week, the Department of Labor took the last step before the final overtime rule is published and implemented. DOL sent the rule to…
Blog
DOT Compromises Safety and Efficiency for Union Favoritism
Today, a draft proposed rule from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration has been making the rounds. It will be published in the…
Blog
NLRB vs. McDonald’s: The Trial Begins
The long awaited McDonald’s trial in National Labor Relations Board joint employer case begins today. In RealClearPolicy, I discuss the less-than-transparent proceedings leading up…
Real Clear Policy
Labor Regulators Target McDonald’s
Imagine the government brings charges against you but won't tell you what you're accused of. The judge insists you should know and proceeds with the…
Daily Caller
McDonald’s Fights Feds For The Soul Of Its Business Model
The Daily Caller speaks with Trey Kovacs on the McDonald's National Labor Relations Board joint employment trial. “These hearings are scheduled to go…
Study
Union Time on the Taxpayer’s Dime
Originally published at the Yankee Institute Full Document Available in PDF As of early 2016, Connecticut was in collective bargaining negotiations…
Blog
Not Much Business Sense on Capitol Hill
Members of Congress, even some Democrats, are finally coming to terms that the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule may be bad for business. Why…
Blog
Obama Administration Policy Threatens Youth Job Opportunities
The National Labor Relations Board’s long-awaited trial involving McDonald’s will begin this week on March 10. The case puts the franchise model in the…
Townhall
Who Ya Gonna Call? How To Tackle The “Ghost Teacher” Problem
Townhall mentions Trey Kovacs's report on the practice known as release time and its cost to taxpayers. The abuse of “ghost teachers” in Philadelphia…
Blog
Uber Publishes Core Principles to Guide Seattle’s Union Election Procedures
Uber maintains that Seattle’s recent ordinance that extends collective bargaining privileges to ridesharing drivers is illegal. However, to cover its bases, Uber issued a letter…
Washington Times
Hindering worker opportunities
Congress passes laws that can upend entire industries, hinder worker opportunities, and raise prices on consumers. But when such laws impact Congress itself,…
Federal News Radio
Pressure mounts on official time as bill moves to House floor vote
Federal News Radio discusses with Trey Kovacs a bill that requires Office of Personnel Management to submit reports on official time. Trey Kovacs, policy…
Bloomberg BNA
FLSA Litigation’s Greatest Hits: Taking Care of Business, and Working Overtime
Bloomberg BNA discusses the Department of Labor's proposed overtime rule with Trey Kovacs. Trey Kovacs, a labor policy expert at the Competitive Enterprise…
Blog
Minimum Wage: The End of Teenage Work Experience?
A new report from JP Morgan Chase & Co. finds that the summer employment rate for teenagers is nearing a record low at 34 percent. The…
Blog
NLRB Undercuts its Own Employees’ Rights
If the NLRB cannot respect the rights of its own employees, is it really capable of governing all private-sector labor relation disputes?…
Daily Caller
Obama Owes His Success To What Other Dems Are Trying To Destroy
The Daily Caller reports on how raiding minimum wage will decrease work for teenagers and discusses how youth will miss out on important skill learning…
Daily Caller
PA School District Spent $1.3M Taxpayer Dollars on Union Salaries
The Daily Caller cites Trey Kovacs study on the costs of "official time" for the federal government and taxpayers. The practice also exists…
Blog
Sharing Economy in the AFL-CIO’s Crosshairs
The AFL-CIO is meeting in San Diego to shape its policy initiatives for the upcoming year. One increasingly popular type of work arrangement is…
