Michigan wasn’t the only state to be able to claim victory for unions in the latest election. Despite voters approving millage increases, thereby saving police, firefighter and other city employee positions, they also recalled Republican lawmaker Paul Scott for his voting history backing policies weakening teachers’ tenure and cutting funds to schools. Public outcry ‘enough was enough‘ apparently spread to Ohio, too.
Following in the footsteps of the Wisconsin GOP, anti-union Governor John Kasich also sought to limit collective bargaining for workers in Ohio. Going further, he also intended to set mandatory health care minimums, pension minimums, ban public worker strikes, eliminate binding arbitration and prohibit promotions based entirely on seniority for all of its 350,000 unionized public workers. In doing so, he essentially pitted the state’s GOP leadership against teachers, police officers and firefighters.
Governor Kasich lost.
Worse yet for the governor, the law was defeated by a 62% landslide. Though said to be a way to curb state spending, it serves as an indication from the people to their leaders that they (leadership) will have to find other ways to make up for holes in the budget that don’t include taking the rights of its workers away. Supporters of the law indicated that it allowed local governments to save money and keep workers while the opposition pointed out there was little proof of a cost savings.
The contentious law drew big names speaking out in favor of it, including the likes of Sarah Palin and Pat Boone, while detractors warning the public against it included John Glenn and Rev. Jesse Jackson. In the end, the law was repealed because it clearly didn’t make sense to take the rights of workers away for no reason other than the Governor could.
