Right-to-work bills were introduced in the Ohio legislature in May, but Senate President Keith Faber, R-Celina, all but killed them by quickly saying they are not on the Senate’s agenda. A citizen group, Ohioans for Workplace Freedom, is collecting signatures aiming to put similar language on the statewide ballot in 2014.
The resolution that Dayton passed Wednesday argues that right to work states have lower wages, higher poverty and infant mortality, and poorer education for children. The commission reaffirmed its “support for fair labor practices that help support working families” and the city and state economies.
“(Right to Work) is part of this ideology that’s trying to move wealth from the middle class and move it back up,” City Commissioner Matt Joseph said. “It’s ridiculous. It’s a cynical, political ploy to try to make rich people richer.”
Greg Lawson, policy analyst for the Buckeye Institute, said the wage and poverty claims in Dayton’s resolution are misleading. He said many Right to Work states started at lower wage baselines than heavily unionized states, but have since experienced more growth, while states like Ohio and Michigan have lost private sector jobs. Lawson said Right to Work is not a silver bullet for Ohio’s economic problems, but would be a big piece of the puzzle.
Representatives of local police, fire, teachers and building trades unions, as well as the broader IUE-CWA, thanked City Commissioner Nan Whaley for her leadership on the issue, and told city commission that Ohio’s current structure has allowed workers to bargain for fair wages and crucial work safety protections.
Columbus Bureau reporter Jackie Borchardt contributed to this story.
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