Knox Co. Rejects Issue 2; Tea Party Group Plans More Anti-Union Action

Despite Knox County’s traditional voting patterns–a two-to-one proclivity for voting Republican–citizens turned out to vote Issue 2 down this week.  According to the unofficial results released by the Knox Co. Board of Elections, the referendum, which would have approved Senate Bill 5, was defeated 54% to 46%.  Statewide, Ohioans voted to repeal the legislation 61% to 39%.

Just days after this victory for public workers, however, anti-union forces were busy preparing a so-called “Right to Work” amendment for the 2012 ballot.  In a press release, the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law announced that it “submitted to the Ohio Attorney General, on behalf of liberty groups and business leaders, initial signatures and summary language to begin the process of adding protections against forced union participation to Ohio’s Bill of Rights.

The Ohio Workplace Freedom Amendment, which would ‘guarantee the freedom of Ohioans to choose whether to participate in a labor organization as a condition of employment,’ will appear on the November 2012 ballot if 386,000 signatures are submitted by early July.

 

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Chris Redfern responded to the Tea Party group’s effort, issuing the following statement to press:

Less than 48 hours after Ohioans overwhelmingly stood with Ohio workers, the Tea Party crowd has doubled-down on its attacks on the middle class. Rather than moving our state forward and helping to create jobs, the Tea Party wants to revive debates that Ohio voters settled half a century ago and resoundingly reaffirmed this week.

Despite what’s best for our state – and despite the will of the people – some of John Kasich’s closest allies are still hell-bent on attacking the hardworking men and women of Ohio. Tuesday’s election was about respecting a good day’s work and the fight for workers’ rights that built and strengthened the middle class in our state. We will continue that fight – because some people apparently didn’t get the message.

Governor Kasich said on Tuesday evening that he heard the voices of the people loud and clear. We will hold him to his word.

Tags: Ohio Issue 2, Ohio SB5, Unions