The Competitive Enterprise Institute is out with a nifty index of public-sector union power in the 50 states. Sneak preview: the results won't surprise you.Produced in partnership with Crossroads GPS, the Big Labor vs. Taxpayer Index
"ranks each state in 23 different categories to determine where
government union lobbyists have maximum sway over policymakers, and
where the fiscal concerns of taxpayers are most strongly represented,"
CEI says. Categories influencing the rankings include public-sector
collective bargaining mandates, card-check requirements, anti-strike
provisions, and laws encouraging project-labor agreements on capital
projects.
The highest scoring states, denoting weak government union environments, are Tennessee, Utah, Idaho, Texas and Florida.
Bringing up the rear with the lowest scores, denoting powerful unions, are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey and, dead last, New York. (Unlike those bottom dwellers, California doesn't (yet) mandate compulsory arbitration of any contract disputes, so it managed to rank a still labor-friendly 36th on the index.)
Bringing up the rear with the lowest scores, denoting powerful unions, are Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey and, dead last, New York. (Unlike those bottom dwellers, California doesn't (yet) mandate compulsory arbitration of any contract disputes, so it managed to rank a still labor-friendly 36th on the index.)
Wow. If California is only 36th, I would hate to imagine what it's like in New York. I really can't imagine labor having any power than it has in this state!