Podcast Summary: "Why Bad Cops Stay and Schools Fail - The Hidden Union Problem (#240)"

Title: Why Bad Cops Stay and Schools Fail - The Hidden Union Problem
Host: Lynne Thoman
Guest: Philip Howard
Release Date: March 11, 2025
Podcast Series: 3 Takeaways

Introduction

In episode #240 of 3 Takeaways, host Lynne Thoman engages in a compelling discussion with Philip Howard, a prominent leader in government reform and author of Our Everyday Freedom and Not Accountable. The episode delves into the pervasive issues within American government institutions, particularly focusing on the role of public sector unions in creating and sustaining systemic failures.

Union Contracts and Unaccountability

Philip Howard opens the conversation by reading an excerpt from his book Not Accountable, highlighting the entrenched problems in American governance:

"Bad schools, unaccountable police and other endemic failures of modern American government share one defining trait. They are impervious to reform. No matter who is elected, no matter the voter demand for change, government almost never changes how it works."
— Philip Howard [00:12]

Derek Chauvin Case: The discussion pivots to the tragic case of Derek Chauvin, the police officer involved in the murder of George Floyd. Howard explains the constraints imposed by collective bargaining agreements, which severely limit the ability of public managers to discipline or reassign officers:

“Because the union collective bargaining agreement in Minneapolis, as in most places, severely restricts public managers from reassigning personnel or disciplining personnel or changing their responsibilities.”
— Philip Howard [02:12]

Despite numerous complaints against Chauvin, the union's protections ensured that he remained employed, underscoring the broader issue of unaccountable policing.

Broader Impact on Government Employees

Education Sector: Howard extends the conversation to the education system, revealing alarmingly low rates of teacher accountability:

“There was an 18-year study in Illinois of teacher accountability that found that an average of two teachers out of 95,000 were terminated for performance each year. That's basically zero.”
— Philip Howard [03:13]

This lack of accountability fosters a culture of inefficiency and erodes trust within educational institutions, contributing to poor student outcomes.

Sanitation Workers: The inefficiencies are not limited to education and law enforcement. In the sanitation sector, union rules lead to inflated costs and rigid operations:

“Garbage, municipal garbage collection in the big cities cost basically twice what private garbage collection in those same cities cost because of the union rules on what the routes are and what the hours are and everything else.”
— Philip Howard [11:08]

Correctional Officers: Howard also discusses issues within the correctional system, where union contracts have led to chaotic and dangerous environments:

“In New York, prisons were literally out of control… people get killed in situations like that.”
— Philip Howard [12:12]

These examples illustrate how union-imposed restrictions hinder effective management and operational flexibility across various government sectors.

Economic Costs of Collective Bargaining

Howard addresses the significant financial burdens imposed by public sector unions:

“There have been very few studies that have attempted to calculate the costs. At one point, David Osborne and a colleague had estimated that costs went up by 35 to 95% depending on the area of government. But I think that understates it.”
— Philip Howard [13:19]

He cites the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) in New York, where union rules led to exorbitant costs for subway maintenance, highlighting the inefficiency bred by rigid labor agreements.

Benefits for Public Sector Union Members

While public sector unions create systemic inefficiencies, they offer substantial benefits to their members:

Early Retirement and Pensions: Howard explains how unions secure lucrative pensions and early retirement options:

“Public employees can retire… in many cases, it's almost the same as their salary, and it's called double dipping.”
— Philip Howard [15:51]

Spiking: He describes "spiking," a practice where workers maximize their pension benefits through overtime:

“They give the person who is nearing retirement as much overtime as possible so that their $100,000 job becomes a $250,000 per year in the last year or two.”
— Philip Howard [15:53]

Health Benefits: Public sector employees often receive superior health benefits compared to their private-sector counterparts:

“In many jurisdictions, health benefits, when working are free… and then after they retire, they're also free.”
— Philip Howard [16:40]

These benefits, while advantageous for union members, exacerbate fiscal strains on government budgets.

Political Influence of Unions

Philip Howard elucidates the symbiotic relationship between public sector unions and political entities:

“In exchange, what the unions get is the continuation of this system in which government is unmanageable and in which the pensions and benefits are far beyond the market and that have rendered certain big industrial states effectively bankrupt.”
— Philip Howard [17:34]

Campaign Contributions and the Spoil System: Unions significantly influence political campaigns through substantial financial contributions and mobilizing members:

“The union collective bargaining creates a new spoil system… the unions essentially provide the campaign resources and personnel, and in exchange, the system remains unmanageable.”
— Philip Howard [17:34]

This relationship ensures that unions maintain their power and protections, making governmental reform exceedingly difficult.

Overall Impact of Public Sector Unions

Howard summarizes the detrimental effects of public sector unions on governance:

“They've made government unmanageable and largely unaffordable.”
— Philip Howard [21:32]

He asserts that elected officials and public supervisors are powerless to enact meaningful changes due to the entrenched influence of unions, leading to a system that prioritizes union interests over public welfare.

Philip Howard's Final Thoughts and Three Takeaways

As the episode concludes, Philip Howard offers three critical takeaways for listeners:

1. Manageability Requires Adaptability:

   “No organization works unless it's manageable. And that requires adaptive choices. At every level of responsibility, government is unmanageable.”
   [22:36]

2. Public Unions Should Not Veto Government Operations:

   “We can't give public unions a veto on how government is run. Democracy exists to put executives in office who have the authority to try to run government for the benefit of the public.”
   [22:36]

3. Legal Reform is Necessary:

   “This is a problem of constitutional dimension…and the best solution probably lies in the courts, based on the inability of democracy to do its job.”
   [22:36]

These takeaways emphasize the need for structural changes to restore accountability and efficiency in government operations.

Conclusion

In this thought-provoking episode, Philip Howard articulates a convincing argument that public sector unions are a fundamental barrier to effective governance in the United States. By securing extensive benefits for their members and wielding significant political influence, these unions perpetuate a cycle of inefficiency and unaccountability across various government institutions. Howard advocates for legal and constitutional reforms as essential steps toward reclaiming manageable and affordable government operations that truly serve the public interest.

For more insights and previous episodes, listeners can visit ThreeTakeaways.com and follow the podcast on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Facebook.

Notable Quotes:

• Philip Howard [00:12]: "Bad schools, unaccountable police and other endemic failures of modern American government share one defining trait. They are impervious to reform."

• Philip Howard [02:12]: “Because the union collective bargaining agreement in Minneapolis, as in most places, severely restricts public managers from reassigning personnel or disciplining personnel or changing their responsibilities.”

• Philip Howard [03:13]: “There was an 18-year study in Illinois of teacher accountability that found that an average of two teachers out of 95,000 were terminated for performance each year. That's basically zero.”

• Philip Howard [17:34]: “The union collective bargaining creates a new spoil system… the unions essentially provide the campaign resources and personnel, and in exchange, the system remains unmanageable.”

• Philip Howard [22:36]: "We can't give public unions a veto on how government is run…"

Resources:

• Podcast Website: ThreeTakeaways.com
• Books by Philip Howard: Our Everyday Freedom and Not Accountable