Columbus on the Record » unions

SB5 is Dead, But Battles Over Unions Continue

Scott Gowans — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:30:48 +0000

This week, WOSU Public Media’s “Columbus on the Record” panelists discuss the reverberations after SB5 was killed in the election, and a new group called Ohioans for Workplace Freedom that has launched an effort to make Ohio a “right to work” state, via a constitutional amendment.

Also: The Columbus City budget adds police officers plus curbside recycling; opponents of election reform law are short on required signatures; and another scandal keeps Big Ten football (and the NCAA) under intense scrutiny.

Panelists:

Laura Bischoff (Dayton Daily News)
Jim Siegel (The Columbus Dispatch)
Michael Daniels (Outlook Media)
Michael Miller (Former Franklin County Prosecutor)

Tea Party initiative pushes to amend state union laws (The News Leader)
Tea Party groups seek Ohio ‘right-to-work’ measure (Associated Press)
Columbus Mayor’s budget to tackle gang violence (10TV.com)
Budget sets aside more for marketing Columbus (Columbus Business First)
10,000 more valid signatures are needed for elections bill repeal vote (as of Nov. 14) (The Plain Dealer)

John Kasich’s First Six Months in Office

Scott Gowans — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:30:14 +0000

This week, Columbus on the Record panelists discuss Governor John Kasich’s first six months in office, what he’s accomplished, and what’s still to come.

Also: The Ohio Board of Education chose Stan W. Heffner as the new state superintendent; Kasich asks ‘How to evaluate teachers?’; Private, non-profit JobsOhio begins its work; and a discussion over public records.

Panelists:

Cathy Candisky (The Columbus Dispatch)
Jo Ingles (Ohio Public Radio)
Gene Krebs (Greater Ohio Policy Center)
Joseph Mas (Ohio Hispanic Coalition)

Jim Leftwich is resigning as director of the Development Department (Business First)
Gov. John Kasich formally introduces his JobsOhio board members (The Plain Dealer)
Kasich asks teachers to design merit-pay plan (The Columbus Dispatch)
Interim leader Stan W. Heffner is Ohio’s new superintendent, a surprise pick (The Columbus Dispatch)
ESPN sues Ohio State in public records suit related to tattoos for memorabilia scandal (The Plain Dealer)

1,298,301 Signatures Collected In Favor Of Collective Bargaining

Scott Gowans — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 00:30:56 +0000

This week Columbus on the Record panelists discuss the possibility of a referendum against Senate Bill 5, the bill that effects collective bargaining. We Are Ohio, the group leading the referendum effort, collected a million votes more than they needed (231,000 valid signatures are required) to have Senate Bill 5 placed before voters this autumn. The group also organized a parade on June 29 that marched through Downtown Columbus.

Also this week: Lawmakers approve the state budget, which will bring major changes; Investors get a tax-credit program if they invest in Ohio companies; Ohio House OKs nation’s most restrictive abortion measure; and the Cooper Stadium auto race track moves forward, but are neighbors’ rights being trumped by business interests?

Panelists:

Laura Bischoff (Dayton Daily News)
Ann Fisher (WOSU 89.7 FM)
Dale Butland (Innovation Ohio)
Terry Casey (Republican Consultant)

Brent Larkin: Cut Ohio’s losses by cutting a deal on SB 5 (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
We Are Ohio collects 1.3 million signatures (The Columbus Dispatch)
Local governments, nursing homes, schools, and universities must make do with less in new budget (The Columbus Dispatch)
Gov. John Kasich and his advisers switch gears to a tax-credit program (The Columbus Dispatch)
Ohio House approves “heartbeat bills” – restrictive anti-abortion legislation (The Columbus Dispatch)
Cooper Stadium, the former home of the Clippers, is close to a new life in auto racing (The Columbus Dispatch)

Might Unions and GOP Settle SB-5 Before Vote?

Mike Thompson — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:32:17 +0000

About a year ago Ohio farmers and The Humane Society were preparing for a fierce and harsh ballot fight. The Humane Society was collecting signatures to put an issue on the ballot that, if approved, would have placed severe restrictions on Ohio livestock farmers. Farmers complained it would cost them millions of dollars and raise food prices. But rather than run costly campaigns and risk losing, the two sides reached an agreement that kept the issue of the ballot.

Might the same thing be possible with public employee collective bargaining limits approved by lawmakers and destined for a repeal vote in November?

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer‘s Brett Larkin suggests Ohio’s big city mayors want some of the cost-control changes in Senate Bill 5, but they won’t or politically can’t support all of the limits on union power. Republicans and supporters of SB-5 face polls showing the repeal winning by a large margin. Democrats and unions, while confident, are still seeing public workers retire in droves, fearing that SB-5 will be upheld. So might the two sides say, “Let’s Make a Deal???”.

It’s not beyond the realm of possibility.

Will Senate Bill 5 Survive The Referendum?

Scott Gowans — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:30:40 +0000

This week Columbus on the Record panelists discuss Senate Bill 5, the hotly-disputed bill that effects collective bargaining. While a referendum vote looks like a certainty, backers of the measure have tried and failed to subdivide the bill for the upcoming election in an effort to keep parts of it.

Also this week: Senate Bill 5 is causing public unions to make more concessions; the Ohio Senate quickly puts the breaks on a photo-id bill; the budget wrangling continues; and Ken Blackwell chooses not to run for senate.

Panelists:

Bill Cohen (Ohio Public Radio)
Darrel Rowland (The Columbus Dispatch)
Bob Clegg (Republican Strategist)
Janetta King (Innovation Ohio)

Secretary of State Jon Husted rejects splitting SB 5 referendum (The Columbus Dispatch)
More and more wage-benefit contracts are being settled before Senate Bill 5 takes effect (WOSU)
Senate GOP leaders pull voter-ID from House Bill 194, but the issue is not dead (The Columbus Dispatch)
Petitioners for We Are Ohio says it has enough signatures for a voter referendum on SB5 (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Ken Blackwell won’t run for Senate in 2012 (The Columbus Dispatch)

Wednesday Round up – Voter ID and Bestiality Ban

Mike Thompson — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:13:49 +0000

Senate Bill 5′s Early Impact

The law to limit public employee collective bargaining rights is on hold and may not even go into effect pending an expected November vote, but senate bill 5 is already influencing government workers. WOSU’s Tom Borgerding reports unions are settling quickly and making concessions. They fear their position will be worse if voters uphold the law.

Photo-ID for Voters, Never Mind

That was fast… The Ohio Senate has now removed the voter photo-id provision from an elections reform bill . A senate committee sneaked the provision into an elections bill yesterday. It even caught the state’s chief elections officer, Secretary of State Jon Husted by surprise. Republicans say the measure will prevent voter fraud. Democrats say, “What fraud?”, and claim the measure amounts to voter suppression.

Lawmakers Look to Ban Bestiality

Proving that job creation, balancing the state budget and reforming government is not the only things on lawmakers’ minds. The Mansfield News Journal reports a case in Shelby has prompted Rep. Jay Goyal, (D) Mansfield, to start drafting legislation banning bestiality. Ohio is behind the curve on this one. Thirty states already ban it.

Questions About Governor Kasich’s Budget Numbers

Scott Gowans — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:30:08 +0000

This week Columbus on The Record panelists provide a comprehensive overview of Governor Kasich’s budget numbers; an update on collective bargaining, including a possible repeal slated for November; the pros and cons of “recall” elections; Ted Strickland’s close call to become chair of the Democratic National Committee; and the Columbus casino’s efforts to move forward despite legal issues.

Ohio union law foes turn in initial petitions (AP)
Kasich administration says collective bargaining law saves $1.3 billion; unions scoff at ‘fuzzy math’ (The Plain Dealer)
Democratic legislators to introduce recall legislation for lawmakers (Dayton Daily News)
Strickland loses chance to chair DNC (politico.com)
Columbus casino moves forward despite questions over water and sewer (Plain Dealer)

Panelists:

Reginald Fields (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Jim Siegel (The Columbus Dispatch)
Terry Casey (Republican Strategist)
Janetta King (Innovation Ohio)

Analysis of John Kasich’s State of the State Address

Scott Gowans — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 23:01:11 +0000

This week panelists discuss John Kasich’s State of the State address and the proposed collective bargaining overhaul being debated in the Ohio House.

Other topics include changes being faced by nursing homes, trying times for Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel, and the Bob Evans relocation controversy.

Panelists:

Catherine Candisky (The Columbus Dispatch)
Karen Kasler (Ohio Public Radio and TV)
Dale Butland (Innovation Ohio)
Bob Clegg (Republican Consultant)

Unions Protest at Ohio Statehouse

Mike Thompson — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 01:00:59 +0000

This week Columbus on The Record panelists discuss the union protests of Senate Bill 5, and ask: are unions still necessary?; Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman’s call for stricter gun control laws; President Obama touts small business innovation; and former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, who opposed the establishment of four casinos in the state, has been appointed to head a seven-member watchdog panel to oversee them.

Thousands rally to support unions (The Columbus Dispatch)
Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman on Gun Control (examiner.com)
Obama touts small business innovation (The Plain Dealer)
Jo Ann Davidson to head Casino Control Commission appointments (The Columbus Dispatch)

Panelists:

Laura Bischoff (Dayton Daily News)
Bill Cohen (Ohio Public Radio)
Terry Casey (Republican Strategist)
Sam Gresham (Common Cause Ohio)

Ohio Public Employee Unions Fight for Survival

Mike Thompson — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 01:30:20 +0000

This week on Columbus on the Record: Ohio Public Employee Unions are fighting for survival. Are Ohio Public Employees overpaid?

Panelists also discuss an abortion debate that has resurfaced at the Ohio Statehouse, calls for Ohio to withdraw a federal lawsuit challenging healthcare reform, and John Kasich’s plans to tackle education reform.

Panelists:

Karen Kasler, Ohio Public Radio/TV
Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch
Gene Krebs, Greater Ohio
Joseph Mas, Ohio Hispanic Coalition

Columbus on the Record » unions

SB5 is Dead, But Battles Over Unions Continue

Panelists:

Read More:

John Kasich’s First Six Months in Office

Panelists:

Read More:

1,298,301 Signatures Collected In Favor Of Collective Bargaining

Panelists:

Read More:

Might Unions and GOP Settle SB-5 Before Vote?

Will Senate Bill 5 Survive The Referendum?

Panelists:

Read More:

Wednesday Round up – Voter ID and Bestiality Ban

Senate Bill 5′s Early Impact

Photo-ID for Voters, Never Mind

Lawmakers Look to Ban Bestiality

Questions About Governor Kasich’s Budget Numbers

Read More:

Panelists:

Analysis of John Kasich’s State of the State Address

Panelists:

Unions Protest at Ohio Statehouse

Read More:

Panelists:

Ohio Public Employee Unions Fight for Survival