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Ben Straka
Policy Analyst
Ben Straka serves as a policy analyst for the Freedom Foundation. His responsibilities include an array of policy research and reform efforts, primarily centered around labor relations, education and government transparency within the states. In addition, he provides support for the Freedom Foundation’s Outreach program and works closely with the rest of the team to hold local governments and public-sector unions accountable to state residents.
Ben joined the Freedom Foundation in May 2016. He is a native of Eugene, Ore., and a graduate of Corban University, where he studied political science and business.
The Oregonian highlights public records bias against Freedom Foundation
It was an admittedly brief reference, but on Wednesday The Oregonianeditorial board wrote a scathing piece about the Portland City Council’s blatant disregard for Oregon’s transparency laws and cited the Freedom Foundation’s recent legal victory as one of its prime examples.
SEIU loses 6 members per hour
It’s been less than 48 hours since the latest Freedom Foundation email hit the in-boxes of Oregon’s public employees, and already SEIU is down another 290 members.
Latest Freedom Foundation mailer exposes union scams, workers respond by opting out
It’s been less than a week since the latest Freedom Foundation mailers hit the doorsteps of Oregon’s public employees, and already dozens have chosen to opt out of union membership as a result.
Right to Work – what is it, and more importantly, what isn’t it?
Right to Work. When you filter out all the union scare tactics, what is it… and more importantly, what isn’t it?
Guess who wants to regulate Uber and Lyft?
Seattle passed a resolution aimed at regulating the pay to drivers for Uber and Lyft. Predictably, Portland wants to follow suit.
Unions back off 2018 ballot measure push to make raising taxes easier
Last week, the Oregon chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the union-affiliated group Our Oregon withdrew a pair of prospective ballot measures that were designed to give the Legislature an easier time raising taxes.
How Oregon AFSCME spent members’ dues in 2017
Like all government unions in Oregon, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) benefits greatly from its state-sanctioned ability to collect union dues and fees from public workers as a condition of their employment.
AFSCME keeping members captive, for now
Over the past two months in Oregon, dozens of employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have chosen to resign their union membership and cease paying for the union’s political causes.
It’s high time for government unions to face re-election
Can you imagine the outrage if our system of government allowed politicians to remain in power indefinitely without any requirement to compete for re-election?
Mandatory training bill could give union more ‘captive-audience’ time
In the years following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2014 Harris v. Quinn ruling, unions have found a variety of ways to work around its stated objective.
