Labor & Employment Law

Ohio Anti-Worker Agenda ?Disrespectful, Unfair?

By James Parks

The effort to take away the right of public employees in Ohio is ?disrespectful and unfair? to America?s workers. Speaking on the floor of the House yesterday, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) said it is ?ridiculous? to blame public employees for the ?financial meltdown caused by Wall Street?s recklessness.?

Working people in Ohio are rallying at the state capitol as the state House debates SB 5, the onerous anti-worker legislation being pushed by Gov. John Kasich. Among other things, the bill would eliminate the decades-old right of public employees to bargain for a middle-class life. The state Senate passed the bill earlier this week by one vote.

If the United States and Ohio want to compete in the global economy, we need good teachers, Ryan said. But how are we going to be able to attract good teachers when we tell them they can?t get together to decide how many kids are going to be in their classes, he asked.

This is disrespectful and unfair to working people in Ohio and it?s not an American value.

Ohioans agree with Ryan. In a web poll by WSYX TV in Columbus, a whopping 90.5 percent said they ?want to do away? with SB5. Here are some of the comments sent to the TV station.

Daniel in Akron writes:

The unions have made some concessions already and will surely make more if necessary, but I don’t see lawmakers making cuts elsewhere. Where is the bill to reduce lawmakers pay and benefits?

 And Carl in Columbus sums it up this way:

Protect the rights of working men and women! Stand up to amoral, grafted plutocrats and their vicious lies!

You can see the poll and comments here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on March 04, 2011 (boomark / email).