Title
To oppose passage of Senate Bill 5 by the 129th Ohio General Assembly and to urge state lawmakers to take action to preserve existing collective bargaining rights for all public employees.
Body
WHEREAS, the good-faith process of negotiating wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions known as "collective bargaining" is the core principle upon which the trade-union system is based; and
WHEREAS, the 129th General Assembly is considering legislation (Senate Bill 5) which would abolish the collective bargaining rights of public employees provided for in the Ohio Revised Code since 1983; and
WHEREAS, Senate Bill 5 would weaken collective bargaining rights for local government employees, limiting workers' rights to bargain for certain benefits and eliminating binding arbitration for public safety personnel; and
WHEREAS, collective bargaining has helped the City of Columbus ensure the delivery of essential City services, while improving worker training, safety and productivity; and
WHEREAS, Ohio's collective bargaining law has served Columbus residents well, eliminating the threat of work stoppages by public safety workers that could threaten the health, safety and welfare of Columbus residents; and
WHEREAS, The City of Columbus has successfully utilized collective bargaining to work with public employees to reduce costs, identify efficiencies and provide high-quality services to Columbus residents; and
WHEREAS, Columbus labor unions have joined Columbus residents in the shared sacrifice necessary to preserve the quality of life in Columbus, making concessions that will save taxpayers at least $115 million through 2019; and
WHEREAS, taking hard-earned wages out of the hands of taxpayers and local economies will not eliminate the State's projected budget deficit, nor will it improve the ability of the State to serve taxpayers; rather, it will punish workers, weaken middle class families and hurt local communities; now, ...
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