Athens City Council members voiced their disagreement with Senate Bill 5 and voted in favor of a resolution opposing the bill at last night’s council meeting.
Council members discussed a resolution calling for the Ohio House of Representatives to reject the bill.
The bill was passed Wednesday by the Ohio Senate and is now being discussed by the House, said Councilman Elahu Gosney, D-at large.
Passage of the bill would revoke collective bargaining rights for public workers in
Ohio, which could deny 350,000 public employees of their organizing activities, according to a resolution drafted by council members.
Binding arbitration, which is the third-party process to settle contract disputes, would also be eliminated if the bill passes, according to the resolution.
“(The city) wants to stand united in the opposition to this bill,” Gosney said.
Continuing to build the middle class is important, Gosney said, adding that he supported the rights of middle class professions, including teachers, firemen and police officers.
“The working families of Ohio are not the cause of the state’s budget deficit, and stripping workers of the right to organize will not solve the state’s budget problem,” according to the resolution.
Council members were in agreement that the rejection of this bill is important to many people in the community, region and state.
“(The bill) would erode employee-management relations, hinder the productive management of local government and hurt working families,” according to the resolution.
Although all council members are in favor of the resolution, it cannot be put into effect until approved by the mayor, who was absent from the meeting.
Despite the time setback, council members were eager to send a copy of the resolution to the majority and minority leaders in the Ohio House.
Gosney, in particular, strongly voiced his opinions against it.
“They’re trying to divide workers,” Gosney said.
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