SB 83 would ban striking and prohibit certain bargaining subjects for unions at our public colleges and universities. This is the largest attack on collective bargaining rights since Senate Bill 5. The bill would affect 13 campus unions and roughly 10,000 union members. They would set a precedent for the legislature to do the same for other unions outside of public safety/health.
Let’s show solidarity with our campus unions and send a message that these kinds of attacks are opposed by all of labor and will not be tolerated.
The letter is below:
Dear Speaker Stephens and Members of the Ohio House of Representatives,
The message sent from the sound defeat of State Issue 1 could not be clearer—Ohioans reject attempts to undermine democracy and silence the voices of the people. It was the same message that voters sent in 2011 when they repealed Senate Bill 5 in a referendum and restored collective bargaining rights to public employees.
We, the undersigned unions, oppose any effort to undermine workplace democracy and silence the voices of workers. Senate Bill 83 represents the worst attack on workers since SB 5. SB 83 would ban strikes and limit bargaining subjects for unionized workers at Ohio’s public colleges and universities.
Whether the bill targets all campus unions or faculty unions only, we stand united in our vehement opposition to SB 83. A threat to any labor union is a threat to all labor unions.
The bill creates an unacceptable precedent limiting collective bargaining rights for public workers outside of the public safety and public health realms. We will not stand idly by while the legislature attempts to implement Senate Bill 5 in piecemeal fashion. This is an affront to unions and the People of Ohio.
We urge you to reject Senate Bill 83, as well as any other proposals that would restrict collective bargaining rights for Ohio workers.
