Foundations
Here's a look at documents from U.S. foundations
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WLF Urges Court to Invalidate New York's Novel Labor Law Under the Supremacy Clause
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release on Oct. 1, 2025:
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WLF Urges Court to Invalidate New York's Novel Labor Law Under the Supremacy Clause
"New York's law unlawfully usurps federal labor jurisdiction, creating chaos for interstate employers and undermining congressional intent."
--Cory L. Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
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Yesterday, Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) urged the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to strike down an amendment to New York Labor Law Sec. 715 as preempted by
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2 -- The Washington Legal Foundation issued the following news release on Oct. 1, 2025:
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WLF Urges Court to Invalidate New York's Novel Labor Law Under the Supremacy Clause
"New York's law unlawfully usurps federal labor jurisdiction, creating chaos for interstate employers and undermining congressional intent."
--Cory L. Andrews, WLF General Counsel & Vice President of Litigation
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Yesterday, Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) urged the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to strike down an amendment to New York Labor Law Sec. 715 as preempted bythe National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). WLF contends that the law, enacted as Senate Bill 8034A earlier this month, impermissibly grants the New York Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) authority over private-sector labor disputes within the NLRB's exclusive jurisdiction. WLF's brief was prepared by Eli Freedberg of Littler Mendelson, PC.
The case stems from Amazon's lawsuit challenging the amendment, which allows PERB to handle NLRA-covered matters unless the NLRB secures a court order to reclaim jurisdiction, prompted by NLRB quorum delays. The law, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, aims to address federal backlogs but risks eroding national labor standards at a time when California is considering adopting a similar measure.
In its amicus brief, WLF argues that the NLRA's comprehensive framework, established in 1935, preempts state interference, as affirmed by Supreme Court precedents like San Diego Building Trades Council v. Garmon and Machinists v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission. The New York amendment's delegation to PERB undermines federal authority, invites a patchwork of state labor rules, and burdens interstate commerce. To preserve the NLRB's primacy, WLF asks the court to invalidate the law. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, Associated Builders & Contractors, Associated General Contractors of New York State, and the Business Council of New York State also joined the amicus brief.
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Original text here: https://www.wlf.org/2025/10/01/communicating/wlf-urges-court-to-invalidate-new-yorks-novel-labor-law-under-the-supremacy-clause/
[Category: Law/Legal]
Foundation for Economic Education Issues Commentary: Diamond and Bangles to the Gulf
DETROIT, Michigan, Oct. 2 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Oct. 1, 2025:
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Diamond and Bangles to the Gulf
India's exporters pivot to the Middle East in the face of US tariffs.
By Jake Scott
The ongoing realignment of international trade flows in the midst of the escalating tariff wars between the United States and other nations and trading blocs (principally China and the European Union) continues to ripple across the world. Yet the changes we are witnessing are by no means caused by these tariff wars; instead, they are more the catalyst to spur
... Show Full Article
DETROIT, Michigan, Oct. 2 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Oct. 1, 2025:
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Diamond and Bangles to the Gulf
India's exporters pivot to the Middle East in the face of US tariffs.
By Jake Scott
The ongoing realignment of international trade flows in the midst of the escalating tariff wars between the United States and other nations and trading blocs (principally China and the European Union) continues to ripple across the world. Yet the changes we are witnessing are by no means caused by these tariff wars; instead, they are more the catalyst to spuron such changes, perhaps irreversibly.
For instance, the sudden 50% tariff slapped on Indian jewelry exports to the US in the summer has been cast as a new trade shock. In reality, it is the culmination of pressures that have been building for years, and a turning point that is already reshaping global trade patterns. The outlines of this shift can be traced through the past six months, from early warnings to the contemporary strategic pivot towards the Middle East.
Analysts were already flagging in April that the potential tariff would carve deeply into a sector that had long relied on the US for nearly a third of its exports, with forecasts suggesting a dramatic fall in shipments. By July, jewelry and apparel firms were openly acknowledging what the numbers implied: jobs would go, capital expenditure would be shelved, and India's small exporters were about to be caught in a liquidity trap.
For an industry that accounts for as much as 7% of India's entire GDP, this is a significant threat, one that risks India's strategic goal to grow its economy and become a major player in global trade.
The impact became visible on the ground in August. Reports from Surat, the beating heart of India's diamond-cutting industry, described a sector scrambling to adjust. Small workshops, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) faced a brutal squeeze, unable to cover costs as American buyers paused orders. For these firms, already operating on thin margins, the shock of the actual tariff was existential.
Yet alongside the distress, an alternative strategy was forming. Exporters began to diversify their own markets, especially in the east and west: to East Asian buyers and, critically, to the Gulf. Journalists walking through Surat's cutting rooms heard the same refrain: if the US market was closed, India's future lay in Riyadh, Dubai, and beyond.
By September, the pivot had become unmistakable. In Surat, exporters reported a surge of interest from Saudi Arabia, with shipments rising nearly 45% in the last financial year, studded jewelry climbing by more than 50%. Trade fairs like SAJEX in Jeddah were being billed as the new Las Vegas or Hong Kong, backed by both Indian and Saudi ministries.
At the same time, Jaipur's exporters offered a sobering counterpoint. NDTV reported on pieces gathering dust in US warehouses, orders canceled, and local artisans stranded without buyers.
Policy was never far behind. The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council pressed Delhi for relief: interest equalization, extended credit windows, anything to keep cash flowing while exporters hunted for new markets. EXIM Bank stepped in, signaling enhanced credit lines and encouraging diversification, not only to the Gulf but also to Africa as a longer-term play. Behind these firefighting measures lies a structural reality: jewelry exports live and die by finance. Without affordable pre- and post-shipment credit, even the most promising market opportunities cannot be seized.
It is important to recognize that tariffs were not the only stressor. Even before Washington's measures, India's cut-and-polished diamond exports had fallen to a twenty-year low, reflecting weak global demand and tightening finance. Earlier this year, diamond prices were already declining, both for mined and lab-grown diamonds. The tariff did not create the crisis, but it did accelerate it.
That is why the consequences extend beyond a single bilateral relationship. What is happening now is trade diversion in real time: a sector forced by price wedges to rewire its supply chains, building new institutional bridges in the Gulf even as old channels to the US wither.
The implications are significant. The US will, of course, not disappear as a market, but its role will shrink, skewing towards higher-end, brand-anchored purchases that can carry the price premium. For most mid-tier exporters, the American market is no longer viable. Instead, the Gulf is emerging as the natural substitute. Saudi Arabia's jewelry market is forecast to nearly double by the end of the decade, part of the broader luxury and retail push alongside the diversification of the economy and investments under Vision 2030.
Jewelry also sits neatly within Riyadh's bid to diversify its economy and position itself as a luxury hub: partnerships with Indian exporters provide both competitive supply and industry know-how in grading, branding, and logistics. For India, these partnerships promise more than market access; they promise footholds in the Gulf's economic transformation.
Dubai, meanwhile, offers a complementary path. Free zone policy has long been designed to attract global traders, and with the new tariff-driven diversion, the UAE is positioned to become a logistics and finishing hub for Indian jewelry re-export. Already home to some of the world's largest gold and diamond exchanges, Dubai's tax and customs regimes make it the natural node through which Indian supply can be channeled to wider markets. In effect, Riyadh's Vision 2030 ambitions and Dubai's free zone pragmatism dovetail to provide India with the infrastructure it needs to reroute its trade.
Globally, three second-order effects are worth watching:
* First, US consumers will see higher prices and reduced variety in India-origin jewelry as the tariffs bite, while Gulf shelves expand their assortment.
* Second, the squeeze will accelerate consolidation in India: larger exporters with access to credit and Gulf partnerships will absorb market share, while smaller firms may vanish.
* Third, the policy response itself creates stickiness. Once exporters and banks begin hard-wiring diversification into their strategies, it is difficult to return to the old status quo, even if tariffs are lifted. Africa, Europe, and the Gulf are not just emergency outlets; they are becoming the future shape of the trade.
The bottom line is this: Washington's tariff is not a passing shock, but a catalyst to accelerate long-evolving global market dynamics. It has taken a long-simmering downturn in global diamond demand and forced India's exporters to re-map their markets. The winners will be those who can navigate financing gaps and secure footholds in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and beyond.
The losers will be the smaller hubs, where inventories sit unsold and artisans face layoffs. For now, the jewelry that once glittered in New York's storefronts is increasingly destined for Jeddah and Dubai. And that is how a single tariff decision begins to redraw the map of global trade.
Yet, this is not just a story about diamonds and bangles, but about the fragmentation of global commerce. Trade blocs are hardening, supply chains are re-routing, and countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are using industrial policy to turn this diversion into long-term gain. The jewelry trade may be a case study, but it is also a warning: tariffs imposed in Washington ripple outwards, and the new alignments they trigger will not easily be undone.
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Jake Scott
Dr Jake Scott is a political theorist specialising in populism and its relationship to political constitutionality. He has taught at multiple British universities and produced research reports for several think tanks.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/diamond-and-bangles-to-the-gulf/
Breakthrough T1D Kicks Off Fall Walks to Celebrate Community and Raise Funds for Type 1 Diabetes Research
NEW YORK, Oct. 1 -- Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) a non-profit dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research, posted the following news release:
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Breakthrough T1D Kicks Off Fall Walks to Celebrate Community and Raise Funds for Type 1 Diabetes Research
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NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2025 --Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, has kicked off a series of Breakthrough T1D Walks across the country, continuing throughout the fall, to bring the community together and raise awareness and funds for critical T1D research. Breakthrough
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, Oct. 1 -- Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) a non-profit dedicated to funding type 1 diabetes research, posted the following news release:
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Breakthrough T1D Kicks Off Fall Walks to Celebrate Community and Raise Funds for Type 1 Diabetes Research
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NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2025 --Breakthrough T1D, formerly JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes (T1D) research and advocacy organization, has kicked off a series of Breakthrough T1D Walks across the country, continuing throughout the fall, to bring the community together and raise awareness and funds for critical T1D research. BreakthroughT1D Walk is a nationwide movement where thousands rally to transform the future for those with T1D. It is the largest global event for the T1D community, driving research, advocacy, and support to improve lives while funding cures research.
A fundamental component of Breakthrough T1D Walk is the leadership of National Series sponsors, Ford Motor Company and SanMar. These sponsors help empower communities and play a crucial role in ensuring the growth and success of each local Walk event by driving registration, fundraising, and awareness efforts.
Ford Motor Company has served as a Breakthrough T1D Walk National Series sponsor for decades, under the leadership of Edsel B. Ford II, whose son has lived with T1D for more than 25 years. Since forming the Ford Global Action Team for Breakthrough T1D in 1998, the company has raised over $85 million for T1D research.
"Breakthrough T1D is profoundly grateful for Ford Motor Company's leadership and steadfast commitment to our mission, Breakthrough T1D Walk, and the entire type 1 diabetes community," said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., Breakthrough T1D CEO. "The employee-driven Ford Global Action Team has set a high bar, demonstrating the tremendous impact that can be achieved when employees are empowered to give back to the community and put their company's values into action. The organization has played an essential role in driving the breakthroughs that are improving the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes. We wouldn't be where we are today on our journey toward cures for type 1 diabetes without the contributions of Ford Motor Company."
"An important part of working at Ford Motor Company is knowing and supporting worthwhile causes. It's part of our culture. For Ford, that means Breakthrough T1D. I am proud of the role that Ford Motor Company plays in helping Breakthrough T1D improve the lives of all of those living with T1D, like my son, Albert," said Edsel B. Ford II. "All of us at Ford remain committed to Breakthrough T1D, and our efforts will continue until together, we turn type one into type none. To quote my great-grandfather, Henry Ford, 'To do more for the world than the world does for you - that is success.'"
With over 120 Breakthrough T1D Walks across the country, the events bring together individuals, families, teams, organizations, and national sponsors to walk and raise critical funds that accelerate Breakthrough T1D's mission. Those interested can engage with a Breakthrough T1D Walk through fundraising and participation, locally and virtually. All are invited to learn more and register for a Breakthrough T1D Walk at BreakthroughT1D.org/Walk.
About Breakthrough T1D, Formerly JDRF
As the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, Breakthrough T1D helps make everyday life with type 1 diabetes better while driving toward cures. We do this by investing in the most promising research, advocating for progress by working with government to address issues that impact the T1D community, and helping educate and empower individuals facing this condition.
About Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
T1D is an autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all. This leads to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and long-term complications, which can include highs and lows in blood sugar; damage to the kidneys, eyes, nerves, and heart; and even death. Globally, it impacts nearly 9 million people. Many believe T1D is only diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, but diagnosis in adulthood is common and accounts for nearly 50% of all T1D diagnoses. The onset of T1D has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. While its causes are not yet entirely understood, scientists believe that both genetic factors and environmental triggers are involved. There is currently no cure for T1D.
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Original text here: https://www.breakthrought1d.org/for-the-media/press-releases/breakthrough-t1d-kicks-off-fall-walks-to-celebrate-community-and-raise-funds-for-type-1-diabetes-research/
Reason Foundation Issues Commentary: Restricting Mobile Health Vans in Philadelphia Will Lead to More Overdose Deaths
LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 30 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 29, 2025:
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Restricting mobile health vans in Philadelphia will lead to more overdose deaths
Philadelphia's city government can address legitimate quality-of-life concerns in Kensington without constraining lifesaving services.
By Layal Bou Harfouch, Drug Policy Analyst
Mobile health vans in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia are primarily known for serving people who use drugs through harm reduction services like overdose reversal and syringe exchange. Yet their role in the community
... Show Full Article
LOS ANGELES, California, Sept. 30 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following commentary on Sept. 29, 2025:
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Restricting mobile health vans in Philadelphia will lead to more overdose deaths
Philadelphia's city government can address legitimate quality-of-life concerns in Kensington without constraining lifesaving services.
By Layal Bou Harfouch, Drug Policy Analyst
Mobile health vans in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia are primarily known for serving people who use drugs through harm reduction services like overdose reversal and syringe exchange. Yet their role in the communityis broader than that. For many Kensington residents, these vans are their only access to lifesaving care. That lifeline is now under threat.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a law that would restrict mobile health vans providing critical support, such as clean syringe access and naloxone for overdose emergencies, from operating in Kensington. The measure limits vans to just two pre-approved sites, caps each stop at 45 minutes, and requires providers to obtain a permit to operate. Groups that violate the rules face fines of up to $1,000--and if they incur three violations, they become permanently ineligible to obtain the required permits.
Though the Philadelphia City Council has described the ordinance as a response to congestion and litter, many community complaints center on concerns about people who use drugs gathering near the vans. Regardless of the framing, these restrictions undermine the very purpose of making care mobile, which is to deliver care where it is most urgently needed.
Mobile health units exist mainly to serve people who use drugs, who often struggle to access traditional healthcare. But they also offer other kinds of support, like basic medical care and community outreach, to anybody, not just drug users, who would otherwise go without care. Between July 2022 and June 2023, Prevention Point Philadelphia's mobile and stationary syringe services reached more than 30,000 people, provided 1,103 wound care visits, enrolled 357 new participants in medication-assisted treatment for drug addiction, and distributed over 95,000 doses of naloxone, the medication that reverses opioid overdoses. Demand for these services has surged, with the organization's client numbers more than tripling over the past three years.
Restricting vans to two fixed locations undermines their core strength: mobility. Outreach teams deploy based on real-time need. Much of Kensington falls within the 19134 zip code, where the Philadelphia Department of Public Health recorded 193 overdose deaths in 2022. A rigid permit system will leave many blocks without timely access to care.
This policy also disrupts the trust and continuity that are the foundation of successful harm reduction services. Patients who might avoid hospitals or doctors' offices because of past mistreatment--an exceptionally common experience for people who use drugs--might be willing to accept naloxone from a familiar outreach worker. That small act of trust may also allow the patient to receive wound care and, perhaps later, a discussion about treatment options.
Philadelphia can address legitimate quality-of-life concerns without constraining lifesaving services. For example, it could establish rotating service zones for mobile vans to prevent clustering in one area, set voluntary sanitation and reporting standards, and offer grants to providers that meet sanitation standards. Programs like Project Reach already work alongside mobile harm-reduction providers to remove thousands of bags of trash and tens of thousands of discarded syringes from city streets each year, showing that public health and public space improvements can go hand in hand.
The city can also better address the root causes of the problems mobile units seek to address by expanding low-threshold treatment programs and supportive housing.
As a strategy, mobile outreach has demonstrated effectiveness in saving lives, building community trust, and improving neighborhood safety. Limiting these services to just two fixed locations--especially when Philadelphia is still losing nearly four residents a day to overdose--risks reversing the marked decrease in overdoses that the city has seen. Mayor Parker and city councilmembers should amend this new ordinance and collaborate with providers and the community to design a better approach that can preserve both neighborhood dignity and access to the types of flexible care on which our most vulnerable neighbors rely.
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Layal Bou Harfouch is a drug policy analyst at Reason Foundation.
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Original text here: https://reason.org/commentary/restricting-mobile-health-vans-in-philadelphia-will-lead-to-more-overdose-deaths/
Pacific Futures: Building Economies That Work for Everyone
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 30 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news on Sept. 29, 2025:
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Pacific Futures: Building Economies that Work for Everyone
Searching for a job can be daunting. It's even more difficult if the job seeker has a disability and lives in a region that lacks infrastructure and technology to support people with disabilities.
Senimelia Seru, office manager at the Fiji Disabled People's Federation, emphasized that point while speaking on a panel chaired by The Asia Foundation (TAF) at the 2025 Pacific Updates conference held at the University of the South
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Sept. 30 -- The Asia Foundation issued the following news on Sept. 29, 2025:
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Pacific Futures: Building Economies that Work for Everyone
Searching for a job can be daunting. It's even more difficult if the job seeker has a disability and lives in a region that lacks infrastructure and technology to support people with disabilities.
Senimelia Seru, office manager at the Fiji Disabled People's Federation, emphasized that point while speaking on a panel chaired by The Asia Foundation (TAF) at the 2025 Pacific Updates conference held at the University of the SouthPacific. She said of one job-seeker with a disability: "The young candidate with vision impairment excelled in the hiring process, only to be denied the job because the employer was unwilling to provide the necessary screen-reading software, citing the high cost of this accommodation as the final and insurmountable barrier."
Seru said the solution is to design systems that work for everyone from the outset. Her point went far beyond disability. It captured the structural challenge shaping the Pacific's future of work: unless institutions adapt, too many people will remain locked out of opportunity, while the region risks under-utilizing its greatest resource, its own people.
A central tenet of The Asia Foundation's work in the Pacific is supporting governments and organizations in adapting and expanding opportunities. The other side of that equation is providing educational and training opportunities for people to succeed in the future economy.
The panel, The Future of Work in Fiji: Building Adaptive and Digitally Ready Economies, brought together four Pacific women leaders: Abigail Chang, director of Pacific Australia Skills; Mishael Chand, digital transformation coordinator at Cadmus Pacific; Vera Chute, chair of the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council under the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation; and Senimelia Seru. Their reflections revealed how communities are already navigating economic transition, and what choices now will determine whether Pacific economies thrive with the local labor force or continue to lose much of their workforce to opportunities abroad. Pacific economies will be shaped as much by the availability of secure livelihoods as by rising sea levels, extreme weather, and other environmental pressures.
Skills for Adaptability
Abigail Chang called for a shift away from narrow credentialing toward building adaptive capabilities. Certificates alone, she argued, leave young people chasing yesterday's jobs.
"When you think about who you want repairing your car, you want someone who's learned the skill, not just the theory," she said. "That's the kind of shift we need in how we view skills training in the Pacific: prioritizing applied capability over academic knowledge."
Competency-based training, apprenticeships designed with employers, trainers embedded in industry, and modular micro-credentials are practical reforms that build resilience. From a political economy perspective, this is not just pedagogy but systemic reform that is realigning incentives in education and labor markets to reward adaptability, she said.
Connectivity as an Economic Divide
As in many parts of the world, bridging the urban-rural technology divide in the Pacific Islands needs to be a priority, Mishael Chand said. In just one example, she noted that if internet services are limited in rural areas, many students have to wait until they can get online to access their exam results, while their peers in Suva log in to see results instantly. As a young, aspiring leader dedicated to advancing digital development in the Pacific region, her point was clear: connectivity is no longer a convenience but a determinant of opportunity.
Her proposal, to build a network of community-based digital mentors, particularly women and youth who can pass on skills in local languages, illustrates how Pacific solutions can narrow digital divides. It highlights a deeper truth: digital divides are rarely just about infrastructure. They are the outcome of political and economic choices about affordability, reach, design, and whether systems are built to reflect the realities of Pacific lives.
TAF's Google.org-funded Go Digital Pacific initiative, which provides training in digital technology and tools, reflects this same principle. Program data show that when women vendors learn to use smartphones for payments and promotion, it does more than digitize transactions, it strengthens households and markets. When systems are designed to work for everyone, digital transformation becomes an economic multiplier.
Women Entrepreneurs Driving Change
Vera Chute highlighted how women are diversifying Fiji's economy through childcare services, eco-enterprises, and online businesses. While many women have received training and education to advance their businesses, there are still systemic obstacles: access to finance or finance that demands high collateral, trade policies that restrict access, and limited platforms to scale.
At the heart of Chute's message was a reminder that women's entrepreneurship is not peripheral but central to economic diversification. Yet ambition alone cannot deliver transformation without enabling policy environments. TAF's collaboration with the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council on Fiji' Green Policy underscores this potential: women entrepreneurs embedding sustainability into their businesses are already charting viable new pathways for Fiji's economy.
It was not intentional that this panel featured four women leaders. Yet that fact signals something important: women are already at the forefront of building capabilities, driving digital innovation, growing enterprises, and demanding fairer systems. If policymakers want to unlock the region's economic future, recognizing and scaling this leadership will be indispensable.
Designing Systems That Work
As Senimelia Seru pointed out, the challenge is not "adding inclusion" later but designing systems that work for everyone from the outset. People with disabilities are already innovating livelihoods in agriculture, hydroponics, and water security, but systemic barriers, which include unreliable transport, inaccessible infrastructure, and unaffordable assistive technology, undermine their agency in shaping their futures.
TAF's partnership with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, where people with disabilities audited Fiji's land, sea, and air transport--reframed accessibility as an infrastructure and economic issue. When systems are designed with accessibility in mind, they expand opportunity for all.
Beyond Migration: Futures in the Pacific
A consistent thread ran through the panel: unless systems adapt, there will be less economic opportunity and greater pressure to migrate. While remittances provide vital support, they also reveal the costs of underdeveloped local economies. Everyday disruptions--disasters, shutting markets, outages halting businesses, and caregiving responsibilities limiting participation--show that the future of work is shaped not only by global opportunities but also by the design of systems within Pacific economies.
Toward a Pacific Reset
The Asia Foundation's Pacific Islands regional mission is grounded in these insights: Pacific voices must shape futures through reforms that build adaptive capabilities, expand access, and enable thriving local economies.
The Pacific Update panel gave shape to what this vision looks like in practice:
* Education that cultivates adaptability, not just credentials.
* Policy environments that allow women entrepreneurs to thrive.
* Universal design and accessibility standards across infrastructure, transport, workplaces, and digital platforms.
* Digital systems that reach everyone.
* Institutions that embed fairness from the start.
* Economies that thrive locally, making mobility a choice, not a necessity.
Through initiatives like digital training supported by Google.org, early learning via Let's Read, and applied research on care economies and accessibility, TAF is helping to seed the systemic reforms the region needs. These efforts are not ends in themselves but signals of a broader foresight approach, one that recognizes the Pacific's economic future will be determined by choices made today, and insists those choices be grounded in genuine local partnerships, led by Pacific voices, and designed to expand agency, build resilience, and unlock the region's full potential.
Location: Pacific Islands (https://asiafoundation.org/region/pacific/pacific-islands/)
Programs: Economic Growth, Let's Read (https://asiafoundation.org/program/education-leadership/lets-read/)
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Original text here: https://asiafoundation.org/pacific-futures-building-economies-that-work-for-everyone/
IBEW Local 16 Folds in Case Concerning Illegal $1.29 Million Retaliatory 'Fine' Threat Against Local Electrician
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Sept. 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
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IBEW Local 16 Folds in Case Concerning Illegal $1.29 Million Retaliatory 'Fine' Threat Against Local Electrician
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Union bosses imposed illegal limitations on resigning union membership, told electrician he would be fined for starting new business unless he signed with the union
Evansville, IN (September 30, 2025) - Brian Head, an Evansville-based electrician, has vindicated his federal labor rights against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
... Show Full Article
SPRINGFIELD, Virginia, Sept. 30 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation posted the following news release:
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IBEW Local 16 Folds in Case Concerning Illegal $1.29 Million Retaliatory 'Fine' Threat Against Local Electrician
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Union bosses imposed illegal limitations on resigning union membership, told electrician he would be fined for starting new business unless he signed with the union
Evansville, IN (September 30, 2025) - Brian Head, an Evansville-based electrician, has vindicated his federal labor rights against the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)Local 16 union. Head filed federal charges after IBEW union officials threatened him with a $1.29 million internal disciplinary fine even though he had validly resigned his union membership. He filed the charges at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with free legal aid from National Right to Work Foundation staff attorneys.
The settlement requires union officials to rescind all fines against Head, expunge all records of them, and refrain from interfering with workers who exercise their right to resign their union membership in the future. The union is also required to notify other workers of their legal right to resign their union membership without restriction, and be free of any attempt to impose internal union fines post-resignation.
Fine Threats Came After Electrician Refused to Hand Over Business to Union Power
The NLRB is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and adjudicating disputes between employers, unions, and individual employees. Head's charges document that he had resigned his IBEW union membership on March 27, 2025, in a notarized letter that IBEW officials acknowledged receiving. However, the union's reply letter claimed that "[i]t is a six-month process before the resignation is finally effective."
The NLRA forbids restricting the right of workers to resign their union memberships. Section 7 of the NLRA enshrines workers' right to refrain from union membership. Furthermore, union bosses cannot impose discipline or fines upon nonmember workers.
IBEW Local 16 union officials began retaliating against Head after he resigned his union membership and announced he was purchasing a non-union electrical firm. Head refused to sign an IBEW Letter of Assent, which would have likely forced his employees under union control without any kind of worker vote.
Following Head declining to hand over his business to a union he was no longer legally affiliated with, IBEW Local 16 officials sent Head correspondence on May 1 demanding he appear before a union tribunal. Head later received a letter from IBEW Local 16 bosses on June 9 finding him "guilty" of violating the union's constitution and imposing a "$1.29 Million dollar fine" as a penalty.
Foundation-Won Settlement Forces IBEW to Inform Workers of Rights
An NLRB Regional Director reviewed Head's charges against IBEW union officials' overreach, and made a merit determination in his favor, finding that the IBEW Local 16 union officials violated Head's rights under the NLRA. IBEW union officials quickly decided to back down and settle rather than go to trial against the NLRB and Head's Foundation lawyers. In addition to expunging their million-dollar-plus retaliatory fine, the settlement details that IBEW bosses must stop informing workers that there are restrictions on the right to resign one's union membership. Additionally, they must inform all their members of their rights under the NLRA, and post the settlement on the union's website.
"The Foundation is pleased to have assisted Mr. Head as he challenged IBEW union bosses' attempt to illegally extort him after he had followed all legal procedures necessary to break free from the union," commented National Right to Work Foundation President Mark Mix. "IBEW union bosses' use of strong-arm tactics demonstrates that they value maintaining control over Indiana electricians far above respecting those electricians' individual rights.
"Whenever union bosses violate the rights of any American worker, Foundation attorneys are ready to assist in their defense," Mix added.
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The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in about 200 cases nationwide per year.
Posted on Sep 30, 2025 in News Releases
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Original text here: https://www.nrtw.org/news/head-ibew-indiana-electrician-09302025/
Foundation for Economic Education Issues Commentary: 'As I Was Saying...'
DETROIT, Michigan, Sept. 30 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Sept. 28, 2025:
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'As I Was Saying...'
Jimmy Kimmel's suspension raises complex free speech concerns.
By Rachel Chiu, guest author
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on air, but the show's short-lived suspension highlights the complexities of government censorship by proxy.
Earlier this month, ABC announced that it was indefinitely suspending the long-running talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host's remarks about the murder of Charlie Kirk. During his opening monologue on September
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DETROIT, Michigan, Sept. 30 -- The Foundation for Economic Education posted the following commentary on Sept. 28, 2025:
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'As I Was Saying...'
Jimmy Kimmel's suspension raises complex free speech concerns.
By Rachel Chiu, guest author
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is back on air, but the show's short-lived suspension highlights the complexities of government censorship by proxy.
Earlier this month, ABC announced that it was indefinitely suspending the long-running talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! following the host's remarks about the murder of Charlie Kirk. During his opening monologue on September15th, Kimmel claimed: "We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it." The show's suspension conspicuously followed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman's call for broadcasters to "find ways to change conduct to take action on Kimmel or, you know, there's going to be additional work for the FCC ahead." In plainer terms, Chairman Brendan Carr cautioned: "We can do this the easy way or the hard way." After facing public backlash, ABC allowed Kimmel to resume filming, but major broadcast stations, including Nexstar and Sinclair, still plan to replace the show with other programming on the local affiliate channels they control.
Like every American, Jimmy Kimmel is entitled to speak without fear of government censorship or reprisal--but this isn't a clear-cut case because the First Amendment protects against government intrusions on speech.
When it is a private party--rather than the government--that silences or retaliates against speech, the situation is more complicated. Here, Nexstar asserted that temporary preemption was in the best interest of the local communities it serves. Similarly, ABC is Kimmel's employer, and it can make employment decisions about its own workers. If these were simply business choices, the First Amendment does not apply.
However, there is strong evidence to suggest that the broadcasters were incentivized by the prospect of regulatory favoritism. Nexstar has plans to acquire Tegna, and Sinclair is considering a divestiture of some of its stations. Both need regulatory approval to move forward.
In two recent Supreme Court cases, the justices explained that the government cannot pressure private parties to quash political speech, though untangling the causal chain is difficult. In NRA v. Vullo, the Court unanimously held that the government could not coerce regulated entities to terminate their business relationships with the NRA to suppress gun advocacy. This is a long-established principle. In 1973, the Supreme Court held in Norwood v. Harrison that it is "axiomatic that a state may not induce, encourage, or promote private persons to accomplish what it is constitutionally forbidden to accomplish."
In Murthy v. Missouri, however, the Court declined to evaluate whether the Biden administration was pressuring social media platforms to take down COVID-19 content, finding instead that the users did not have standing to sue. Despite overwhelming evidence that Facebook ceded to the White House's requests, which Justice Alito outlined in his dissent, the majority questioned whether the content removals were government-pressured or voluntary action, since the platform had concurrently and independently taken down COVID-19 posts on its own.
In other words, separating the government's actions from those of private parties is challenging. This case has set a high bar for plaintiffs hoping to prove coercion sufficient to trigger First Amendment obligations. If the broadcaster's actions are analyzed under Murthy, then their independent justifications will complicate the First Amendment analysis.
Nevertheless, these legal hurdles to prove state coercion do not negate the fundamental principle. The government cannot circumvent its constitutional obligations by using an intermediary. Accordingly, no matter how misguided or disfavored the statements are, Chairman Carr does not have the power to punish Kimmel for his political speech.
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Rachel Chiu
Rachel Chiu is a J.D. candidate at Yale Law School and a Young Voices contributor focused on online speech and technology policy.
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Original text here: https://fee.org/articles/as-i-was-saying/
