COLUMBUS, Ohio—Two Republican representatives have proposed to place six right-to-work amendments to the Ohio Constitution on the 2020 ballot.
Reps. Craig Riedel and John Baker's proposals would need a three-fifths majority to vote yes in each chamber for the proposals to pass. They would then be up for public vote during the Nov. 3, 2020, election and take immediate effect if passed. They include:
• House Joint Resolution 7 prohibits laws, rules or agreements that require employees of public sector employers to join or pay dues to an employee organization and prohibit those organizations from representing non-member public sector employees in employment-related matters;
• House Joint Resolution 8 is basically the same as Resolution 7, except it covers the private sector;
• House Joint Resolution 9 prohibits requiring public contractors to pay a prevailing wage;
• House Joint Resolution 10 bans state and local public authorities from requiring bidders, contractors or subcontractors to enter into or adhere to or enter into an agreement with a labor organization;
• House Joint Resolution 11 requires any public employee collective to annually recertify their collective bargaining representatives; and
• House Joint Resolution 12 prohibits union dues from being deducted from public employee pay.
The six resolutions, which were introduced on Dec. 21, have been referred to the Government Accountability and Oversight committee.
Among rubber manufacturing sites unionized by the United Steelworkers in Ohio include Goodyear's Local 2 in Akron; Bridgestone Americas' Local 7 in Akron; Cooper Tire's Local 207 in Findlay; and ContiTech's Locals 200 and 843 in St. Marys and Marysville, respectively.
The USW opposes the proposed amendments.
“Individual politicians who are elected to serve the public ought to understand that Ohio voters have overwhelmingly rejected and repudiated previous attempts to inhibit their right to organize and bargain collectively,” Dave McCall, USW District 1 director, said in an email.
“By now, the legislature should recognize that workers need better wages, safer working conditions, affordable health insurance and more secure pensions for a dignified retirement, and so-called ‘right-to-work' will result in the opposite.”