Michael Jahr

Union scheme protected by Constitutional amendment. … more

SEIU paying employer to keep millions in illegal dues flowing. … more

Can home health care aides really decertify their union? … more

Center analyst recommended doing so 11 years ago. … more

Reflections on Fred Meijer's death ... and life. … more

Despite the fear, anger and disarray, Americans responded in their unique fashion. In contrast to those bent on horror and death, Americans exhibited extraordinary heroism, immeasurable kindness. Strangers helped one another at their own peril, hundreds of them making the ultimate sacrifice. … more

We have a few more reasons to celebrate with passion and verve this holiday weekend: Michigan is a little bit freer. … more

What’s truly striking is that a union that was willing to take millions of dollars from the child care subsidy payments of “welfare-to-work” families is now expressing concern that children will be thrown into poverty. … more

In his Dec. 14 nationally syndicated column, famed economist Thomas Sowell shared a list of books that would make good Christmas gifts. Two of them (which also happened to be the top two) were authored by Burton Folsom, the Mackinac Center senior fellow in economic education. … more

The Traverse City Record-Eagle yesterday reported that filmmaker Michael Moore expects to receive between $650,000 and $1 million in state film subsidies for producing part of "Capitalism: A Love Story" in Michigan. … more

Is Detroit’s economic plight a bellwether for the nation? “Detroitification,” a phrase coined by my colleague, Jack McHugh, is defined as the hollowing out of the private economy to prop up unsustainable (and often unresponsive) government establishments. Is this an apt description of Washington’s policies? … more

A review and analysis of important state legislative policy issues that do not always receive attention from the general media. Michigan Capitol Confidential will make it easier to keep tabs on your elected representatives in Lansing. … more

The budget agreement that passed in the dead of night on Oct. 1 will raise taxes on Michigan residents, businesses and service providers to the tune of $1.358 billion for the coming fiscal year. … more

Collective bargaining determines not only the quality and responsiveness of a school district’s teachers and support personnel, but the amount of money remaining to school board members to benefit the children under their care. Thus, while labor negotiations may sometimes feel remote from the process of helping children learn in the classroom, the results of this bargaining often affect a school board’s ability to implement educational policies.

This book is designed to assist school board members in understanding the basic principles and laws of collective bargaining, including some of the major substantive and procedural challenges facing Michigan school boards. In addition, the text is full of quotations from school board members and other education professionals concerning their experiences with collective bargaining and school employee unions. The combination of informational content and personal reflections provides new insights to school board members — and to policymakers, journalists and the general public, as well. … more