Latest Fact-checks in Unions Portland Public Schools stated on January 22, 2013 in a letter to Portlanders: Says "PPS employees have paid their own PERS contributions for many years." Bruce Hanna stated on March 6, 2013 in a floor speech: Says, "The Democrats' proposed budget is also balanced by using more in new tax revenue than in total PERS reform or savings." SEIU stated on March 5, 2013 in a lawsuit: "There is no clinical evidence that vaccinating healthcare workers protects patients." Brian Patrick Kennedy stated on February 6, 2013 in a news release: Employers and schools have no right to conduct "surveillance of a dorm room or a worker’s cubicle." Barbara Buono stated on January 29, 2013 in an interview on Fox 5’s Good Day New York: Says the pension and health benefits reform "eliminated collective bargaining for health benefits." Mark S. Zaccaria stated on November 25, 2012 in TV niterview: Public employees receive "something like 25 percent of the paychecks that are issued in Rhode Island." Chris Christie stated on August 9, 2012 in a video posted on YouTube: Says Jon Corzine "gave away 14 percent raises over 4 years and he stood on the front steps of the Capitol at a public-sector union rally and said, 'I will fight to get you a great contract.’" Marty Beil stated on July 19, 2012 in an interview: Says Gov. Scott Walker "raises the pay of inmates, but we don't raise the pay of staff in our correctional institutions." Sheldon Whitehouse stated on August 16, 2012 in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.: "An April study found that about 70 percent of ads in this election cycle have been negative [due to SuperPACs], up from only 9 percent through the same period in 2008." Ron Johnson stated on June 6, 2012 in a radio interview: "Before Act 10, the total cost of public sector employees’ employment was 29 percent higher than that in the private sector. After the act, it’s still 22 percent higher." Mahlon Mitchell stated on June 12, 2012 in a news release: As Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney used a line-item veto to cut "millions of dollars for firefighting equipment," including firefighters' "coats, pants, helmets and boots." Steve Buckstein stated on June 18, 2012 in in a tweet, online post: "Did you know Wisconsin's AFSCME union has lost 50%+ of its members since no longer requiring membership?" Rebecca Kleefisch stated on May 13, 2012 in an interview: Says Democratic recall opponent Mahlon Mitchell sent a letter "encouraging folks to boycott more than 100 companies." Amanda Fritz stated on April 12, 2012 in a questionnaire: Says "my advocacy questioning contracting out in Parks … delayed and altered the renewal of the Brooks contract, and reduced the number of contracted employees in Parks from over 100 to fewer than 40." Mary Nolan stated on April 18, 2012 in a campaign website: Says more than 8,000 people have supported her campaign as volunteers, donors and advisors and endorsers. Chris Christie stated on March 23, 2012 in an appearance at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University: "To get out of the (teachers) union, you pay 85 percent of $731. Then you're out of the union, but you've got to pay it every year, also required by statute. That’s called a representation fee." Stephen Laffey stated on March 2, 2012 in a radio interview: Giant companies like Toyota will not locate in a state that has not passed a right-to-work law Ken Allen stated on February 16, 2012 in a guest column: "We have 395 inmates pushed into triple-bunked cells intended for two inmates and bunked in classrooms and areas supposed to be designated for inmate labor." Mitt Romney stated on February 22, 2012 in a primary debate in Arizona: "The president gave the (auto) companies to the UAW." Nicholas Kettle stated on January 27, 2012 in a radio talk show: "If you look at states that are right to work, they constantly do not have budget deficits and they have very good business climates." Kathleen Falk stated on January 8, 2012 in a TV interview: Says she got unions to agree to "about $10 million in reduction" of salaries and health benefits while serving as Dane County executive in Wisconsin. Club for Growth stated on January 4, 2012 in a billboard ad: "Mayor Barrett saved Milwaukee $25 million, thanks to Gov. Walker’s reforms." Mike Tate stated on November 15, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: Says Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker "slashed" pensions and benefits for public employees. Maurice Thompson stated on November 10, 2011 in a news conference: Says unemployment in Ohio "is significantly higher than the unemployment rate in states which are not forced union states and it’s always been that way." Philip Keefe stated on November 13, 2011 in an appearance on 10 News Conference: "If they made no changes whatsoever, the [state employees pension] plan still had enough money to go forward for approximately the next 16 years." David Mellon stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a state pension hearing: "The job [of correctional officer] lowers your life expectancy . . . Metropolitan did a study in, I believe it was 1998, and the life expectancy was 58." Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis. Building a Better Ohio stated on October 14, 2011 in a campaign commercial: "Government employees make 43 percent more in wages and benefits" than private-sector workers. John Kasich stated on October 31, 2011 in a campaign speech: "They talk about this problem with binding arbitration. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to have somebody from Los Angeles fly into Zanesville and impose a wage settlement on you ... and then they’re on the plane back to Los Angeles." George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired."
Portland Public Schools stated on January 22, 2013 in a letter to Portlanders: Says "PPS employees have paid their own PERS contributions for many years." Bruce Hanna stated on March 6, 2013 in a floor speech: Says, "The Democrats' proposed budget is also balanced by using more in new tax revenue than in total PERS reform or savings." SEIU stated on March 5, 2013 in a lawsuit: "There is no clinical evidence that vaccinating healthcare workers protects patients." Brian Patrick Kennedy stated on February 6, 2013 in a news release: Employers and schools have no right to conduct "surveillance of a dorm room or a worker’s cubicle." Barbara Buono stated on January 29, 2013 in an interview on Fox 5’s Good Day New York: Says the pension and health benefits reform "eliminated collective bargaining for health benefits." Mark S. Zaccaria stated on November 25, 2012 in TV niterview: Public employees receive "something like 25 percent of the paychecks that are issued in Rhode Island." Chris Christie stated on August 9, 2012 in a video posted on YouTube: Says Jon Corzine "gave away 14 percent raises over 4 years and he stood on the front steps of the Capitol at a public-sector union rally and said, 'I will fight to get you a great contract.’" Marty Beil stated on July 19, 2012 in an interview: Says Gov. Scott Walker "raises the pay of inmates, but we don't raise the pay of staff in our correctional institutions." Sheldon Whitehouse stated on August 16, 2012 in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.: "An April study found that about 70 percent of ads in this election cycle have been negative [due to SuperPACs], up from only 9 percent through the same period in 2008." Ron Johnson stated on June 6, 2012 in a radio interview: "Before Act 10, the total cost of public sector employees’ employment was 29 percent higher than that in the private sector. After the act, it’s still 22 percent higher." Mahlon Mitchell stated on June 12, 2012 in a news release: As Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney used a line-item veto to cut "millions of dollars for firefighting equipment," including firefighters' "coats, pants, helmets and boots." Steve Buckstein stated on June 18, 2012 in in a tweet, online post: "Did you know Wisconsin's AFSCME union has lost 50%+ of its members since no longer requiring membership?" Rebecca Kleefisch stated on May 13, 2012 in an interview: Says Democratic recall opponent Mahlon Mitchell sent a letter "encouraging folks to boycott more than 100 companies." Amanda Fritz stated on April 12, 2012 in a questionnaire: Says "my advocacy questioning contracting out in Parks … delayed and altered the renewal of the Brooks contract, and reduced the number of contracted employees in Parks from over 100 to fewer than 40." Mary Nolan stated on April 18, 2012 in a campaign website: Says more than 8,000 people have supported her campaign as volunteers, donors and advisors and endorsers. Chris Christie stated on March 23, 2012 in an appearance at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University: "To get out of the (teachers) union, you pay 85 percent of $731. Then you're out of the union, but you've got to pay it every year, also required by statute. That’s called a representation fee." Stephen Laffey stated on March 2, 2012 in a radio interview: Giant companies like Toyota will not locate in a state that has not passed a right-to-work law Ken Allen stated on February 16, 2012 in a guest column: "We have 395 inmates pushed into triple-bunked cells intended for two inmates and bunked in classrooms and areas supposed to be designated for inmate labor." Mitt Romney stated on February 22, 2012 in a primary debate in Arizona: "The president gave the (auto) companies to the UAW." Nicholas Kettle stated on January 27, 2012 in a radio talk show: "If you look at states that are right to work, they constantly do not have budget deficits and they have very good business climates." Kathleen Falk stated on January 8, 2012 in a TV interview: Says she got unions to agree to "about $10 million in reduction" of salaries and health benefits while serving as Dane County executive in Wisconsin. Club for Growth stated on January 4, 2012 in a billboard ad: "Mayor Barrett saved Milwaukee $25 million, thanks to Gov. Walker’s reforms." Mike Tate stated on November 15, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: Says Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker "slashed" pensions and benefits for public employees. Maurice Thompson stated on November 10, 2011 in a news conference: Says unemployment in Ohio "is significantly higher than the unemployment rate in states which are not forced union states and it’s always been that way." Philip Keefe stated on November 13, 2011 in an appearance on 10 News Conference: "If they made no changes whatsoever, the [state employees pension] plan still had enough money to go forward for approximately the next 16 years." David Mellon stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a state pension hearing: "The job [of correctional officer] lowers your life expectancy . . . Metropolitan did a study in, I believe it was 1998, and the life expectancy was 58." Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis. Building a Better Ohio stated on October 14, 2011 in a campaign commercial: "Government employees make 43 percent more in wages and benefits" than private-sector workers. John Kasich stated on October 31, 2011 in a campaign speech: "They talk about this problem with binding arbitration. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to have somebody from Los Angeles fly into Zanesville and impose a wage settlement on you ... and then they’re on the plane back to Los Angeles." George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired."
Portland Public Schools stated on January 22, 2013 in a letter to Portlanders: Says "PPS employees have paid their own PERS contributions for many years."
Bruce Hanna stated on March 6, 2013 in a floor speech: Says, "The Democrats' proposed budget is also balanced by using more in new tax revenue than in total PERS reform or savings."
SEIU stated on March 5, 2013 in a lawsuit: "There is no clinical evidence that vaccinating healthcare workers protects patients."
Brian Patrick Kennedy stated on February 6, 2013 in a news release: Employers and schools have no right to conduct "surveillance of a dorm room or a worker’s cubicle."
Barbara Buono stated on January 29, 2013 in an interview on Fox 5’s Good Day New York: Says the pension and health benefits reform "eliminated collective bargaining for health benefits."
Mark S. Zaccaria stated on November 25, 2012 in TV niterview: Public employees receive "something like 25 percent of the paychecks that are issued in Rhode Island."
Chris Christie stated on August 9, 2012 in a video posted on YouTube: Says Jon Corzine "gave away 14 percent raises over 4 years and he stood on the front steps of the Capitol at a public-sector union rally and said, 'I will fight to get you a great contract.’"
Marty Beil stated on July 19, 2012 in an interview: Says Gov. Scott Walker "raises the pay of inmates, but we don't raise the pay of staff in our correctional institutions."
Sheldon Whitehouse stated on August 16, 2012 in a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.: "An April study found that about 70 percent of ads in this election cycle have been negative [due to SuperPACs], up from only 9 percent through the same period in 2008."
Ron Johnson stated on June 6, 2012 in a radio interview: "Before Act 10, the total cost of public sector employees’ employment was 29 percent higher than that in the private sector. After the act, it’s still 22 percent higher."
Mahlon Mitchell stated on June 12, 2012 in a news release: As Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney used a line-item veto to cut "millions of dollars for firefighting equipment," including firefighters' "coats, pants, helmets and boots."
Steve Buckstein stated on June 18, 2012 in in a tweet, online post: "Did you know Wisconsin's AFSCME union has lost 50%+ of its members since no longer requiring membership?"
Rebecca Kleefisch stated on May 13, 2012 in an interview: Says Democratic recall opponent Mahlon Mitchell sent a letter "encouraging folks to boycott more than 100 companies."
Amanda Fritz stated on April 12, 2012 in a questionnaire: Says "my advocacy questioning contracting out in Parks … delayed and altered the renewal of the Brooks contract, and reduced the number of contracted employees in Parks from over 100 to fewer than 40."
Mary Nolan stated on April 18, 2012 in a campaign website: Says more than 8,000 people have supported her campaign as volunteers, donors and advisors and endorsers.
Chris Christie stated on March 23, 2012 in an appearance at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University: "To get out of the (teachers) union, you pay 85 percent of $731. Then you're out of the union, but you've got to pay it every year, also required by statute. That’s called a representation fee."
Stephen Laffey stated on March 2, 2012 in a radio interview: Giant companies like Toyota will not locate in a state that has not passed a right-to-work law
Ken Allen stated on February 16, 2012 in a guest column: "We have 395 inmates pushed into triple-bunked cells intended for two inmates and bunked in classrooms and areas supposed to be designated for inmate labor."
Mitt Romney stated on February 22, 2012 in a primary debate in Arizona: "The president gave the (auto) companies to the UAW."
Nicholas Kettle stated on January 27, 2012 in a radio talk show: "If you look at states that are right to work, they constantly do not have budget deficits and they have very good business climates."
Kathleen Falk stated on January 8, 2012 in a TV interview: Says she got unions to agree to "about $10 million in reduction" of salaries and health benefits while serving as Dane County executive in Wisconsin.
Club for Growth stated on January 4, 2012 in a billboard ad: "Mayor Barrett saved Milwaukee $25 million, thanks to Gov. Walker’s reforms."
Mike Tate stated on November 15, 2011 in an interview on MSNBC: Says Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker "slashed" pensions and benefits for public employees.
Maurice Thompson stated on November 10, 2011 in a news conference: Says unemployment in Ohio "is significantly higher than the unemployment rate in states which are not forced union states and it’s always been that way."
Philip Keefe stated on November 13, 2011 in an appearance on 10 News Conference: "If they made no changes whatsoever, the [state employees pension] plan still had enough money to go forward for approximately the next 16 years."
David Mellon stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a state pension hearing: "The job [of correctional officer] lowers your life expectancy . . . Metropolitan did a study in, I believe it was 1998, and the life expectancy was 58."
Paul Valletta stated on October 27, 2011 in testimony at a General Assembly pension hearing: Rhode Island Treasurer Gina Raimondo "raised the mortality rate from 65 to 87" and "used a 1994 annuity chart" to create the pension crisis.
Building a Better Ohio stated on October 14, 2011 in a campaign commercial: "Government employees make 43 percent more in wages and benefits" than private-sector workers.
John Kasich stated on October 31, 2011 in a campaign speech: "They talk about this problem with binding arbitration. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me to have somebody from Los Angeles fly into Zanesville and impose a wage settlement on you ... and then they’re on the plane back to Los Angeles."
George Nee stated on October 19, 2011 in a pension forum: "This is the first time in our state, and one of the first times in the country, where benefit reductions . . . has happened to people who are retired."