Ohio Voters Reject Anti-Worker Law by 2-1 Margin
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The repeal of Issue 2 was a great victory for Unions and working families in Ohio and the rest of the nation. By a nearly 2-1 margin, Ohio voters repealed a new law that would have severely limited the bargaining rights of more than 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other state employees. I applaud the National Officers, staff, UWUA locals, AFL-CIO and the working class families of Ohio, for their undying pursuit to protect Union rights. Local 600 has been involved from the beginning, starting with a strategic meeting in Columbus on February 17, called by National President Mike Langford, which included all UWUA local unions from across the state of Ohio. This led to Union members rallying together to defeat Issue 2, which resulted in the state’s highest voter turnout in 20 years for an off-year general election. The results have already caused a ripple effect in Cincinnati. Nine open seats of Cincinnati City Council have been filled with five incumbents reclaiming their spots and four newcomers being voted in. Republicans Leslie Ghiz, Wayne Lippert and Amy Murray plus Charterite Chris Bortz were denied another two-year term. Taking their place will be Democrats P.G. Sittenfeld, Yvette Simpson, Christopher Smitherman and Chris Seelbach. They’ll join Charterite Roxanne Qualls, Republican Charlie Winburn and Democrats Laure Quinlivan, Cecil Thomas and Wendell Young. Democrats now hold seven of the nine council seats to work with Mayor Mark Mallory, also a Democrat. The vote showed unions are still a potent political force that can’t be ignored. |
President Langford stressed the importance of everyone attending an upcoming protest/rally in Columbus on February 22, to voice their opposition to Senate Bill 5. The antiworker law, SB5, did pass.
