GOP accused of using deception to trick voters on Right to Work

Ohio Right to Work opponents vow to make public aware of Republican strategy
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(PR NewsChannel) / July 22, 2013 / COLUMBUS, Ohio 

Workplace Freedom OhioAs Ohio labor groups prepare for the next round of legislative fighting on Right to Work, today they accused Right to Work supporters of using misleading names and engaging in a campaign that deliberately tricks the public into supporting a controversial, anti-labor agenda.

Already a contentious and divisive initiative in various states, Right to Work has been front and center in not just Ohio, but also in Missouri, Indiana and Michigan. Right to Work initiatives passed in both Indiana and Michigan; Missouri and Ohio continue to fight Republican advances.

In Ohio, Right to Work is often called Workplace Freedom. In Missouri, it’s called “Paycheck Protection.”

But the efforts to change the law largely mirror each other.

“The various names only add to the confusion and prevent people from connecting the dots,” said Pat Sink, Ohio’s IUOE Local 18 business manager.

Indeed, surveys show that while the Right to Work initiatives are clear to those in the know, many voters have been led astray by the different monikers and strategies incorporated by GOP leaders.

Although Right to Work efforts in Ohio failed to gain traction during the lawmaking session that just ended, with the GOP promising to pass groundbreaking legislation in Ohio, union workers are staying vigilant in the fight to make sure future efforts fall flat.

“We’re taking this time to make sure everyone knows the dangers that accompany any Right to Work effort,” said Sink. “They can use any name they choose, but I assure you we will do our part to make sure the public knows the true nature of their tactics.”

The IUOE has been running ads in across the state to educate the public.


(Watch the video online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Sf5IqqAHI&feature=youtu.be)

Over the weekend, supporters of Ohio Right to Work gathered for a discussion on the issue, which had Terry Bowman, a United Auto Workers member from Michigan, sharing his story about how Michigan became a Right to Work state.

The meeting was covered by WCMH (NBC) in Columbus.

Though the meeting room booked for the event was large, the crowd that turned up barely filled the conference hall.

So far, the Right to Work forces amassed only 100,000 signatures of the 386,000 needed to get the issue on a statewide ballot.

In Missouri, Senate Bill 29, otherwise known as “Paycheck Protection,” would have required public employees to give annual written consent before union dues could be deducted from their paychecks.

Gov. Jay Nixon struck down the bill in a last minute veto.

“Singling out union dues for these extra processes serves no beneficial purpose,” said Nixon in a statement accompanying the veto. “Rather, the bill places unnecessary burdens on public employees for the purpose of weakening labor organizations.”

Once a bastion of pro-labor forces and union dominance, Michigan enacted “Paycheck Protection” and Right to Work initiatives. Labor leaders in Michigan are hoping the courts provide relief. However, the Michigan Supreme Court just last week refused to intervene, leaving state labor groups in a quandary as to what to do next.

Opponents of the recent Ohio “Workplace Freedom” bills contend that the initiative’s true purpose is to kill unions and worker protections, ultimately leading to a weaker middle class.

By stripping workers of their rights and freedoms, business owners would be free to lower worker pay, reduce worker benefits and ignore worker rights.

Whether Republicans utilize “Paycheck Protection,” “Workplace Freedom,” or other Right to Work tactics, opponents remain dedicated to ensuring the voting public knows the underlying nature behind the GOP’s divisive agenda.

For more information about Right to Work in Ohio, please visit www.protectohiosmiddleclass.org.  

For more information:
Glenn Selig
PR firm: The Publicity Agency
Email:
Phone: (312) 546-3034
Website: www.ohioworkplacefreedom.org

Direct link:  https://prnewschannel.com/2013/07/22/gop-accused-of-using-deception-to-trick-voters-on-right-to-work/

SOURCE:  Keep Ohio's Heritage


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