Who is the “Fake” Freedom Foundation and allies?
- The “Fake” Freedom Foundation is a dangerous and extreme out-of-state anti-union, anti-worker front group paid for
by the Koch Family and billionaires like Betsy DeVos. - They identify themselves as the Freedom Foundation, the Buckeye Institute, or Opt Out Today.
- They are an anti-union organization funded by anti-worker billionaires who want to bust unions and gut public pensions.
- They actively advocate to expand school vouchers and take money from public schools.
What does the “Fake” Freedom Foundation, Opt Out Today and/or Buckeye Institute want?
They are anti-union and want to:
- Lower your wages
- Take away your benefits, including healthcare
- Destroy your pensions
- Expand school vouchers
- Lower wages and diminish working conditions in collective bargaining agreements
They also:
- Oppose higher pay for educators
- Oppose smaller class sizes
- Oppose local collective bargaining and worker rights
- Oppose fair evaluations
- Oppose educators having a voice in education policy decisions
- Oppose increased funding for public schools
The Ohio Education Association (OEA) and your local association represent and advocate for Ohio’s educators and students. Our members and our Unions are under a far-right extremist misinformation assault from Dark Money conspirators like the “Fake” Freedom” Foundation, whose platform is about removing the freedoms our members fought to obtain at the bargaining table. This disingenuous organization’s stated goal is to reduce educators’ influence and ultimately destroy us by fighting against what educators and students need and deserve. The “Fake” Freedom Foundation’s attacks on your working conditions are also a direct attack on student learning conditions. Our members are onto their tactics and recognize the value of OEA/local association membership and the security in solidarity.
Learn more for factual information on the “Fake” Freedom Foundation, gathered by Accountable Northwest using the resources below.
What does the “Fake” Freedom Foundation, Opt Out Today and/or Buckeye Institute want?
They are anti-union and want to:
- Lower your wages
- Take away your benefits, including healthcare
- Destroy your pensions
- Expand school vouchers
- Lower wages and diminish working conditions in collective bargaining agreements
How can we fight back?
- Talk to coworkers about the value of membership
- Please visit Top 10 Reasons to Belong to OEA
- Block their numbers if they are calling or texting you
- Report their emails as spam if they are contacting you via your personal email
- Contact Union leadership if they are contacting you via work email
- Write “Return to Sender” and send their anti-worker propaganda back to them in the mail or better yet, throw it in the trash
The “Fake” Freedom Foundation does not support OEA members or the education profession. They are:
- AGAINST PUBLIC EDUCATORS
In a report they co-wrote, “State Budget Reform Toolkit,” they called for cutting state employee pensions, raising the retirement age, raising health insurance costs, and delaying raises. - AGAINST PUBLIC EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
The “Fake” Freedom Foundation has fought for cuts to public schools and educator salaries. They have argued against increasing education funding, calling it unimportant and irrelevant to student outcomes. - AGAINST RETIREMENT SECURITY
The “Fake” Freedom Foundation joined a coalition in Oregon that worked to cut the “retirement, disability and health insurance fund” of public workers. They compared retirement security for working families to the Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Bernie Madoff. - AGAINST PAID SICK TIME
The “Fake” Freedom Foundation wants to eliminate paid sick leave and has even authored a national report opposing paid sick leave for all workers. - AGAINST WORKERS’ RIGHTS TO ORGANIZE
The “Fake” Freedom Foundation is a long-time advocate of so-called Right to Work Laws. They have sponsored at least five local “Right to Work” initiatives and advocated for it at a state level. These laws have proven to lead to lower wages, the loss of prevailing wage, and unsafe working conditions.
Educate yourself and your colleagues on the facts about the “Fake” Freedom Foundation. Your careers, healthcare, retirement, collective bargaining rights, and the future of public education depend on it.
