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It didn’t take long. We’re only a month into 2017 and anti-worker legislators in the Ohio General Assembly are back at it, attacking Ohio’s public employees and their union rights. Yesterday, extreme GOP legislators in the Ohio House introduced a Right to Work (is Wrong) bill that would severely weaken the voice of Ohio’s public employees.
Ohio House Bill 53, introduced by Rep. John Becker (R-65), is designed to wipe out your union’s ability to fight with all the power of its membership for decent wages and benefits. Employees in right to work states make $535 less on average per month compared to those in “free bargaining” states.
Becker's bill is part of a national attack on workers in an effort to silence unions and reduce their power to fight for better wages and working conditions. In the last month alone, Kentucky and Missouri passed right-to-work laws aimed at destroying union rights.
But Ohio voters already opposed collective bargaining attacks when they resoundingly defeated Senate Bill 5 by a margin of 62 to 38 percent. Apparently Rep. Becker and the 12 GOP co-sponsors don't care what the voters think!
“Public employees offer vital services to Ohioans. They are hard-working citizens just like everyone else who just want a good job and a fair shot," said OCSEA Pres. Chris Mabe.
"We’re keeping our eye on the legislators who are attacking public employees, their agencies, their benefits, their pensions and their livelihoods. We’ll make sure that every Ohioans knows their names and the destruction they are imposing on workers' rights. We will hold them accountable for their actions,” he said.
Get the NOT-so FUN facts about living in a Right-to-Work state
See the 10 reasons why Right to Work is Wrong!
Sunset Review also back
Another law OCSEA is carefully monitoring is Ohio House Bill 51, this year's version of the “Sunset” review bill.
Just like last year's "Sunset" review bill, HB 51 gives a small committee of state legislators the ability to wipe out entire state agencies if they aren’t up to their standards of effectiveness and efficiency.
This is Rep. Keith Faber’s second attempt to dismantle state agencies. Many are attributing his heavy-handed approach to his expected run for State Auditor in 2018.