Ohio Voters Reject Public-Union Curbs

[bellasbane]

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Voters defeated by a wide margin a law that would have restricted the powers of unions representing teachers, police officers and other public-sector workers.

The law would have stripped the state’s 350,000 public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights and forced workers to pay at least 15% of their health care costs. With 35% of precincts reporting, about 62% of voters in a referendum voted against the Republican-backed law, known as Senate Bill 5, while 38% supported it.

The vote was closely watched beyond Ohio as other states also debate whether to rein in public unions to help state and local governments cut their spending on wages and benefits. Unions faced bruising battles with newly elected Republican majorities in various states this year. In Wisconsin, lawmakers passed a law restricting public-union rights, but they failed to do so in Indiana.

The Ohio law was passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, earlier this year. But opponents secured enough voter signatures to force a public vote before it could take effect.

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204190704577026360072268418.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

 

[seekerz]

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Voters defeated by a wide margin a law that would have restricted the powers of unions representing teachers, police officers and other public-sector workers.

The law would have stripped the state’s 350,000 public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights and forced workers to pay at least 15% of their health care costs. With 35% of precincts reporting, about 62% of voters in a referendum voted against the Republican-backed law, known as Senate Bill 5, while 38% supported it.

The vote was closely watched beyond Ohio as other states also debate whether to rein in public unions to help state and local governments cut their spending on wages and benefits. Unions faced bruising battles with newly elected Republican majorities in various states this year. In Wisconsin, lawmakers passed a law restricting public-union rights, but they failed to do so in Indiana.

The Ohio law was passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, earlier this year. But opponents secured enough voter signatures to force a public vote before it could take effect.

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204190704577026360072268418.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Good. I am one of those whose families would never have come this far were it not for the power of collective bargaining. While the power of unions must definitely have some counterbalancing forces, there is about as much justification for taking away the right to collective bargaining as there is for taking away the right of businesses to make a fair profit. What is it about balanced approaches (as opposed to extremes) that seem so hard for politicians to grasp?

 

[Corki]

Too bad.

This statement alone should tell you how out of touch the unions are with what how the rest of the country lives.

The law would have stripped the state’s 350,000 public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights and forced workers to pay at least 15% of their health care costs.

While the rest of us are lucky to pay “only” 25 or 30% of health care costs, these public unions want us to also foot the bill for theirs.

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

“Get on the bus or get run over” indeed Mr. Kasich.

 

[seekerz]

Too bad.

This statement alone should tell you how out of touch the unions are with what how the rest of the country lives.

While the rest of us are lucky to pay “only” 25 or 30% of health care costs, these public unions want us to also foot the bill for theirs.

Why not negotiate that 25-30% downwards? Why not get behind efforts to rein in health care costs? Why would the only solution be for the other guys to pay as much as you do? And how does the total package (pay and benefits) compare between you and them?

I’m not very good at math but see no reason why our economic problems have to be solved by reducing working people down to the same common denominator. That would be like fixing the amount of profit all companies in the country would be allowed to make…distinctly un-American.

 

[gamewell45]

Too bad.

This statement alone should tell you how out of touch the unions are with what how the rest of the country lives.

While the rest of us are lucky to pay “only” 25 or 30% of health care costs, these public unions want us to also foot the bill for theirs.

Perhaps if your workplace were to consider organizing under a union, you too might not have to pay 25 or 30% of your health care costs. You’d even have a voice in the workplace.collectively.

I applaud the voters of Ohio for exercising their rights to decide what is best for them.

 

[vsedriver]

Why not negotiate that 25-30% downwards? Why not get behind efforts to rein in health care costs? Why would the only solution be for the other guys to pay as much as you do? And how does the total package (pay and benefits) compare between you and them?

I’m not very good at math but see no reason why our economic problems have to be solved by reducing working people down to the same common denominator. That would be like fixing the amount of profit all companies in the country would be allowed to make…distinctly un-American.

it comes down to the fact that non-state employees are paid out of company profits but state employees are paid out of taxes. No taxes, no money to pay these folks the extras that the average person has to pay for themselves. The state was trying to balance the budget by not having to raise taxes on taxpayers who are already struggling.

 

[vsedriver]

Perhaps if your workplace were to consider organizing under a union, you too might not have to pay 25 or 30% of your health care costs. You’d even have a voice in the workplace.collectively.

I applaud the voters of Ohio for exercising their rights to decide what is best for them.

That’s a great idea! then the company owners can move the company to China and they’ll have the excuse that they just couldn’t afford to pay the striking union workers their demands.

Frankly, this vote is the prime example of saturated advertising and how successful it was. Wonder who paid for all those ads and phone calls? the unions who else?

 

[seekerz]

it comes down to the fact that non-state employees are paid out of company profits but state employees are paid out of taxes. No taxes, no money to pay these folks the extras that the average person has to pay for themselves. The state was trying to balance the budget by not having to raise taxes on taxpayers who are already struggling.

The state should perhaps consider raising taxes on those taxpayers who are not ‘already struggling’, hmm…

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

The state was trying to balance the budget by not having to raise taxes on taxpayers who are already struggling.

Its difficult to take a Governor seriously when he says we need to ravage the salaries and benefits of teachers and firefighters to balance the budget while he accepts a salary increase and grants his cabinet members pay raises all of which, of course, were exempted from this bill.

 

[seekerz]

That’s a great idea! then the company owners can move the company to China and they’ll have the excuse that they just couldn’t afford to pay the striking union workers their demands.

Frankly, this vote is the prime example of saturated advertising and how successful it was. Wonder who paid for all those ads and phone calls? the unions who else?

Maybe it’s time we called the outsourcing companies on their act - after all they need a market for those China-produced goods no? The BOA episode shows that consumers are waking up to their ‘collective bargaining’ power…banks are not the only ones subject to the ‘power of the purse’.

 

[gamewell45]

That’s a great idea! then the company owners can move the company to China and they’ll have the excuse that they just couldn’t afford to pay the striking union workers their demands.

Why would union workers want to strike? Most, tho’ not all, unions don’t strike anymore, instead they mobilize to give them leverage at the bargaining table. That way they are still on the payroll and working while they negotiate a fair contract with the company. If the company’s claim that they cannot afford the unions demands, normally if the company will open its books up to an actuary selected by the union and if its found that the company is correct, then the union will work with the company on the cost of the contract.

Frankly, this vote is the prime example of saturated advertising and how successful it was. Wonder who paid for all those ads and phone calls? the unions who else?

I think thats the norm these days; many organizations do exactly the same thing.

 

[gamewell45]

Its difficult to take a Governor seriously when he says we need to ravage the salaries and benefits of teachers and firefighters to balance the budget while he accepts a salary increase and grants his cabinet members pay raises all of which, of course, were exempted from this bill.

If thats true, then I think thats so wrong by the Governor and would have a negative impact on his integrity with the voters.

 

[CMatt25]

If the company’s claim that they cannot afford the unions demands, normally if the company will open its books up to an actuary selected by the union and if its found that the company is correct, then the union will work with the company on the cost of the contract.

Beats using an “excuse” that they can’t afford to pay a living wage and benefits to American workers. I am so proud tonight to be a native Buckeye. God bless the voters of the great state of Ohio for standing against the forces declaring war on the middle class and poor. 1.3 million Ohioans signed petitions to get this on the ballot when 300,000 was required. Looks to still be one of those all important swing states in 2012 as has been expected.

 

[gamewell45]

Beats using an “excuse” that they can’t afford to pay a living wage and benefits to American workers. I am so proud tonight to be a native Buckeye. God bless the voters of the great state of Ohio for standing against the forces declaring war on the middle class and poor. 1.3 million Ohioans signed petitions to get this on the ballot when 300,000 was required. Looks to still be one of those all important swing states in 2012 as has been expected.

Its a perfect example of democracy in action.

 

[Chaplain777]

Too bad.

This statement alone should tell you how out of touch the unions are with what how the rest of the country lives.

While the rest of us are lucky to pay “only” 25 or 30% of health care costs, these public unions want us to also foot the bill for theirs.

I completely agree with you on this. And not just what you have posted here, but that millions of $$s in union dues goes to support overwhemingly democrat candidates, the very ones with whom this supposed bargaining takes place. Talk about a scam! And we the tax payers take it on the chin. I pay ALL of my health care costs, albeit I chose a path that isn’t all that great where benefits are concerned, but this union issue is out of control. Do they, unions (government worker types), not understand that if the state/city/municipality goes broke there will be no jobs for anyone, let alone health care benefits? I dunno, sad I guess.

 

[Chaplain777]

Why not negotiate that 25-30% downwards? Why not get behind efforts to rein in health care costs? Why would the only solution be for the other guys to pay as much as you do? And how does the total package (pay and benefits) compare between you and them?

Maybe because WE (taxpayers) are the ones paying the other 85% of those health care costs!!!

I’m not very good at math but see no reason why our economic problems have to be solved by reducing working people down to the same common denominator. That would be like fixing the amount of profit all companies in the country would be allowed to make…distinctly un-American.

It’s got nothing to do with math. It has to do with union benefits are being paid by TAKING money from OTHER working people’s paychecks…do you see? It would be different if the government MADE money (profit) like a business, then the benefits could come from those profits. Then, it might be more equitable.

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

Maybe because WE (taxpayers) are the ones paying the other 85% of those health care costs!!!

Well 62% of those of us who actually pay for it, i.e. Ohioans, are ok with that.

 

[Corki]

Perhaps if your workplace were to consider organizing under a union, you too might not have to pay 25 or 30% of your health care costs. You’d even have a voice in the workplace.collectively.

I applaud the voters of Ohio for exercising their rights to decide what is best for them.

Ha.

Of course, I would rather pay 100% of my health care costs than be part of a union but since I am management, that isn’t even an option. No, the trade-offs are definately not worth it.

 

[EmperorNapoleon]

If thats true, then I think thats so wrong by the Governor and would have a negative impact on his integrity with the voters.

I’m fairly certain that he will be a one-term governor. I don’t even think he’d last that long if he wasn’t immune from recall.