Labor packs Ohio Statehouse, protests union limits

[Joanne98]

Source: AP

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Hundreds of union protesters again packed the Statehouse in protest on Tuesday as government officials from around the state lined up in support of a bill that would wipe out Ohio's nearly 30-year-old collective bargaining law and make other union changes.

A crowd of firefighters, police officers and other public employees overflowed the hearing room, packing cat walks and filling the Statehouse Atrium and Rotunda to standing-room-only capacity for much of the afternoon. It was the second week that hearings on the bill drew such crowds.

The Senate bill, sponsored by Republican state Sen. Shannon Jones, would eliminate collective bargaining rights and salary schedules for public employees across the state. GOP Gov. John Kasich has expressed his support for the bill in concept, but he has also signaled he may bring forth his own plan that could go even further - including banning public employee strikes.

During hours of testimony piped by large speakers throughout the Statehouse, John Lazarus, superintendent of the Warren County Educational Services Center, was among those advocating the changes. He told senators that citizens have become savvy and understand how wage and salary packages for teacher unions are affecting district budgets.



Read more: http://www.bucyrustelegraphforum.com/article/20110216/UPDATES01/110216001

[livetohike]

1. K&R

:kick:

[livetohike]

2. K&R

:kick:

[Luciferous]

3. K&R

[we can do it]

4. Come On Ohio Get Up Stand Up

[pampango]

5. Union bargaining 'out of control,' say supporters of reform

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/ohio-news/union-bargaining-out-of-control-say-supporters-of-reform-1082581.html

Supporters of a plan to make sweeping changes to Ohio’s collective bargaining laws had their first chance to make a case to lawmakers on Tuesday to rein in public sector labor costs that they say “spiral out of control.”

City officials, chamber of commerce leaders and others testified about how union rules and contracts hamstring managers’ ability to balance budgets and deliver services. The bill impacts 40,000 state employees and thousands of teachers, police officers, firefighters and municipal workers. More than 1,000 union supporters showed up outside the hearing to protest the bill.

“This bill represents political payback. It is designed to punish those people who ... did not support those who came to political power,” said Leo Geiger, a sewer inspection worker for the city of Dayton, speaking about the new Republican-controlled legislature.

A large crowd of union protesters and a coalition of tea party groups and others who support the bill are expected at the third hearing Thursday.

And the teabaggers are heard from. Some may wonder at times how "corporate" teabaggers are. In this case, one would have to say "Pretty darn 'corporate'."

Oh, and nice headline. "Reform" is not what repub goals should be called.

[bluecoat_fan]

6. KR

[blackspade]

7. Even more union busting!

This statement is rich.
'He told senators that citizens have become savvy and understand how wage and salary packages for teacher unions are affecting district budgets.'

What does this even mean?
This has nothing to do with 'citizens' becoming savvy. It is about political grandstanding and union busting.
The Republicans are disgusting.
I'm hoping that they may have finally overplayed their hand though, and revealed their hatred for working people.

[madmom]

8. People in Ohio need to wake up!

[Omaha Steve]

9. K&R!

[cynzke]

10. Welcome To GOP Reality!

Last year, progressive media warned us of the GOP's agenda to bust unions and attack public employees. Now we are seeing the beginning implementation of that agenda in Wisconsin and Ohio. And it is time to wake up to this once and for all.

[sarcasmo]

11. How can anyone who doesn't make over 500,000 dollars vote Republican?

Stupidity, I guess.

[HughBeaumont]

13. Believing in fairy tales like Horatio Alger.

They all think THEY'RE going to be the next Bill Gates, Lee Raymond or Mark Zuckerberg. All it's gonna take is determination, hard work, guile, . . . for them to stop eating Cheetos . . . a plan, a product, an audience and market for that product, the hope that a giant corporation isn't already having them at a massive cost disadvantage for that product, an insane amount of luck, connections and networking to get their product sold at a WalMart and Target near you, the ideal economic climate . . .. it's SOOoooOO EASY, don'tcha know!?!?!

[totodeinhere]

14. No, it's not always stupidity. To some people there are things more important than money

or living standards. They might be focusing on social issues such as abortion and gay marriage and care very little about economic issues one way or the other.

[Bozita]

12. K&R

[Doremus]

15. It's time for labor everywhere to RISE UP!!!

[OhioChick]

16. K&R n/t