Six Anti-worker Amendments Proposed to Ohio Constitution
2020 is poised to potentially be a terrifying year for workers in Ohio. Six recently proposed amendments to the Ohio constitution may very well put workers’ safety and livelihood in a dangerous situation.
Republican State Representative John Becker has proposed to implement six anti-worker amendments to the constitution that will effectively lower wages, increase catastrophic safety risks and sabotage Ohio Unions.
The resistance against these six suggested amendments is fierce, and for good reason! The underlying theme is a reduction in the value of a worker’s life and livelihood, while billionaires across the country deepen their financial pockets.
6 ANTI UNION MEASURES THAT MAY BE UP FOR VOTE IN OHIO IN 2020
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Repeal Prevailing Wage
Prevailing wage is an Ohio state law that mandates an hourly wage that is negotiated for skilled tradesman on construction projects. This wage is based on the collective bargaining agreements with Ohio Unions, and includes pay, and benefits, including health insurance. Repealing prevailing wage would immediately create a profound adverse impact on Ohio’s economy.. Not only will workers take a drastic pay cut, but it will stymie apprenticeship programs and allow out-of-state contractors to take our Ohio jobs.
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Right to Work
Enabling public and private sectors to be voted as “right to work” in Ohio would cost thousands in legal fees, lower wages and ultimately lead to dangerous working conditions. This would force union members to subsidize non-union members. Collective bargaining agreements in the public and private sectors would be out the window.
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Project Labor Agreements Banned
This would allow non-union contractors to steal jobs, resulting in fewer jobs for skilled, experienced tradesmen. States and cities would no longer be required to use the unions for work, effectively sabotaging the entire system.
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Ban Unions from Political Support
Unions would no longer be able to support the political initiatives that in turn support skilled workers.
BLANKET ANTI UNION MEASURES:
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Ban Local and State Governments from Withholding Union Dues
Union dues would no longer be a requirement, effectively terminating union structure
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Required Annual Re-Certification Voting
Annual voting would be required for public sector unions to grant negotiation permission, safety laws, wages and more
These 6 proposed amendments would be catastrophic for Ohio workers. If this is voted into law in 2020, it means 3 simple things:
LOWER INCOME
FEWER JOBS
UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS
The trades are already suffering a severe shortage, and these proposed changes could be catastrophic to the future of all skilled trades. The impact on our state and local economies would be unfathomable.
