Businesses have a continuing need for employees who will arrive at work every day free of the influence of drugs or alcohol; be able to work in a group environment; read and give written instructions; make effective use of oral communication skills; perform basic math functions necessary for the job; and operate a piece of technology or equipment. The Commonwealth should regularly review existing education and workforce development programs to ensure that each is achieving high quality results at an acceptable cost-per-student. PMA supports school choice, coordinating and consolidating best-practice workforce development programs, and expansions of Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.
Over a month late, the fractured budget process in Harrisburg lurched forward last week with the Senate sending Gov. Josh Shapiro funding for K-12 public schools and other core government services. The governor quickly signed it, but line-item-vetoed a $100 million scholarship program for students trapped in Pennsylvania’s lowest-performing public schools. However, this is ...
When political insiders in Harrisburg are asked to describe what a Shapiro Administration might look like, a common word that rises above the others is: transactional. That quality was on full display during Governor Josh Shapiro’s nearly 90-minute budget address in front of a joint session of the PA House and Senate. For Republicans and ...
One of the most consequential provisions in a new four-year labor contract negotiated between U.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers (USW) union is a commitment from the company to pump $1 billion in capital investment into its plants over those four years. The investment will spur job creation at the company’s plants (including three at ...
The simple, winning message of state Rep. Martina White
October 05, 2022 | Energy | Workforce/Education
In a district with twice as many Democrats as Republicans, the winning formula for state Rep. Martina White (R-Phila) mixes straightforward messaging with old-fashioned hard work. While campaigning, she knocks on thousands of doors in her northeast Philadelphia district promising to work for safe streets, good paying jobs, and quality education. It’s paid off. In ...
State Sen. Scott Martin’s (R-Lancaster) career path in elected office has, in some respects, been inspired by the bad policy decisions of others. “I was complaining to a friend of mine about leadership in the county (Lancaster),” he says about his decision to get involved in politics and more involved in the community. “He told ...
Two Northeast Pennsylvania lawmakers led the charge to enact a local resource tax credit for manufacturers who use methane (natural gas) to make fertilizer, fuel, and other products. If approved by Governor Tom Wolf, thousands of workers and their families will owe a great debt of gratitude to state Sen. John Yudichak (I-Luzerne/Carbon) and state ...
Pressure grows daily on the Wolf administration to reveal its rationale, if any exists, behind a waiver process that classifies some businesses as “essential,” but forces others to close during the coronavirus emergency. The secrecy surrounding the selection process by the governor’s Department of Community and Economic Development is adding fuel to a rebellion among ...
Late Friday, the Mexican government announced that it would reopen its automotive factories, which it had earlier closed as “non-essential” businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. The news came on the heels of letter sent by over 300 members of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador warning that shuttered ...
VP Pence visits PA, urges passage of USMCA
October 30, 2019 | Labor Issues | Workforce/Education
Vice President Mike Pence visited one of Northeast Pennsylvania’s long-time manufacturers, Schott Advanced Optics in Duryea, urging congressional approval of a trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, the USMCA. U.S. manufacturers have thrown their full weight behind the negotiated agreement; it will add billions to the economy and create thousands of high paying manufacturing jobs. ...
When the teachers’ unions contributed $4 million dollars in political money to Governor Tom Wolf, it shouldn’t be surprising that his executive order to thwart charter schools comes straight from their playbook. In announcing the orders, and pending legislation in August, the governor cited the rising costs of the charters but left out two points ...