Help preserve collective bargaining in Ohio

Collective bargaining rights of Ohio state employees is under attack, and a state senate committee is considering legislation to halt this cornerstone of American and union workplace democracy.

UTU Ohio State Legislative Director Glenn Newsom reports that many members of the Ohio Senate Labor Committee are having second thoughts about SB 5, which would revoke the collective bargaining rights of state employees.

In America, politicians do bend to the will of the electorate, and Newsom is confident that if enough Ohio state senators are besieged by telephone calls from outraged voters, many senators now supporting SB 5 will reexamine their position on the legislation.

Newsom asks that UTU members, their family and friends contact their Ohio state senator by telephone between now and Tuesday afternoon — when the Senate Labor Committee next meets at 4 p.m. eastern time — to voice their opposition to SB 5 and ask politely them to vote “no” on the bill.

UTU members outside Ohio with friends or family in Ohio also should contact those of voting age and ask them also to make telephone calls opposing SB 5.

Callers might also remind senators that since collective bargaining rights were given state employees in 1983, labor strife was reduced and state employee productivity improved.

SB 5 is a union-busting bill. If it becomes law in Ohio, other states could follow, and the movement could spread to efforts to break private-sector unions.

To contact an Ohio state senator, click on the following link, then click on the county of residence, and the office telephone number for that state senator will appear:

www.ohiosenate.gov/map.html